120 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



example of ferocity on the part of this bird, or whether 

 coots regularly indulge in such encounters, I do not 

 know, but I have little doubt that the rat had been caught 

 in the act of hunting the chicks of the bird involved, or 

 that at any rate he was there for no good purpose. 



I have heard many strange stories about the ferocity 

 of moorhens, their destructiveness among other birds, 

 particularly ducklings, and their cuhivation of depraved 

 tastes in the way of egg stealing, but since I have no 

 personal observations of this I prefer to leave the un- 

 pleasant characteristic alone. If indeed the moorhen is 

 anything of a pugilist, beside being quarrelsome, the coot 

 certainly shares the same trait of character and is 

 undoubtedly a more formidable fighter, though he may 

 not so often come before notice. 



I once watched a party of coots endeavouring to swallow 

 a chub, which must have weighed at least a quarter of 

 a pound. First one would endeavour to get it down, 

 then another, quarrelUng the whole of the time, and the 

 chub, which was still alive and kicking, was certainly 

 experiencing a very embarrassing time of it. 



The nesting habits of these waterfowl are very interest- 

 ing. Each pair appropriates a small bay, which it considers 

 its own private property, and from which it drives any 

 other bird that endeavours to trespass. The nest con- 

 sists of a huge rafe of sedges. It is generally placed in 

 shallow water, resting on the bottom, but should the water 

 level rise it floats in perfect safety, though the birds 

 then take the precaution of anchoring it to the rushes 

 so that it cannot float away. In this manner they show 

 considerable intelligence. Sometimes, but not always, 

 the nest is anchored when it is built, this being done in 

 such a way that it can rise and fall with the water. 



I remember one spring brought a spell of extremely 

 rainy and windy weather. One coot's nest which I had 



