Northern Observations of Inland Birds 121 



under observation on Loch Tay was built on the bottom 

 in very shallow water, and going out in a boat after the 

 loch had risen I discovered that it had drifted away. 

 After a long hunt I found it about two hundred yards 

 distant from its original situation. It had drifted into a 

 bed of reeds, and here the old birds had anchored it by 

 cleverly working two or three growing reeds into the 

 structure of the nest. So thoroughly was the work done, 

 indeed, that one could not have released it without 

 breaking the reeds or tearing the nest. 



Another nest I had under observation was on the 

 windward side of the loch, and this one, with its cargo 

 of eggs, was carried out over deep water. Quite a 

 *' heavy sea '' was running, and it was surprising that so 

 frail a craft could weather such a buffeting. The old 

 birds calmly proceeded with the task of incubation, 

 apparently in no way disturbed by the unforeseen removal 

 of their household, and for several days this nest travelled 

 about, each evening finding it a considerable distance 

 from the point at which it started at dawn. Eventually 

 I lost sight of it, and ultimately fine weather returned. 

 Then one dark and cloudy evening, just before nightfall, 

 I was out on the loch when I noticed a coot's nest, 

 probably the same one, floating in the centre of a quiet 

 bay. 



As I rowed up to it the old birds began to call, but 

 looking into the nest I found it to be empty. I put my hand 

 into it, and what was my surprise when three young coots 

 wriggled from under the covering of chopped-up sedges 

 which filled the nest, and swam off with all speed towards 

 their parents ! It certainly was not the first time they 

 had left the nest, and I concluded that their parents, 

 sensing the approach of the heavy thunderstorm which 

 broke a few minutes later, had covered the chicks in the 

 nest in order to shield them. 



