Coot [Fiilica americana) 



Length: About 15 inches. The slate-colored plumage, with blackish head 

 and neck, white bill, and scalloped toes mark this bird apart from all others. 



Range : Breeds from southern Canada south to Lower California, Texas, 

 Tennessee and New Jersey ; also in southern Mexico and Guatemala ; winters 

 from southern British Columbia, Nevada, Utah, Ohio Valley and Virginia 

 south to Panama. 



The coot, or mud-hen, is a sort of combination of duck, galHnule and rail, 

 and withal is a very interesting bird. Fortunately for the coot, its flesh is little 

 esteemed, and by many, indeed, is considered unfit for human consumption. The 

 coot is thus passed by in contempt by most sportsmen, and in some regions it 

 is as tame as can well be imagined, swimming within a few feet of the observer 

 with entire unconcern. Under other circumstances, however, as in Louisiana, 

 where it is shot for food under the name poule d'eau, it becomes as wild as 

 the most wary of ducks. It frequents both salt and fresh water, preferably 

 the latter. The mud-hen is one of the few American birds that occasionally 

 visits the distant Hawaiian Islands in fall and winter. Finding conditions there 

 to their liking, some of the immigrants, probably centuries ago, elected to 

 remain and found a new colony, and there, in the fresh water ponds of the island 

 archipelago, their descendants still live and thrive. 



The food of the coot consists almost entirely of water plants of no use to 

 man. There would seem, therefore, to be no excuse for killing or disturbing 

 the bird in any way. 



Autumn Beauties 



By Miller Noel Long 



Earth is putting on bright raiment 

 Ere the winter is begun ; 



All the leaves are glowing jewels 

 In the dazzling autumn sun. 



All the ground is flecked with spangles. 

 Saffron hue, or ruddy gold ; 



Wealth of myriad trees down-showered 

 Shows the year is growing old. 



Overhead a sapphire curtain 



In bright beauty is unfurled; 



Clouds like misty, purple hilltops 

 Crown the edges of the world. 



O the glowing, golden autumn ! 



All too short her splendid reign ; 

 Hasten, then, ye other seasons — 



Autumn, come to us again ! 



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