NORTH AMEMCAN MARSH BIRDS 357 



shoots of aquatic plants. It also eats meadow grass and berries and, 

 according to Selby (1833), "in a state of confinement it will greedily 

 devour grain and other farinaceous diet." 

 Behavior. — Dresser (1871) says: 



It frequents marshes, pools, and lakes which are ov(!rgrowu with or skirted by 

 reeds, sedges, water lilies, or other aquatic plants, amongst which it can secure 

 hiding places should danger threaten. It is generally to be seen swimming, if it 

 feels itself quite safe, out in the open water, or otherwise close to or amongst the 

 reeds, and but seldom coming on shore to open places, though it often wades 

 about in wet marshy places which are well covered with aquatic herbage. On 

 land it is but an awkward-looking bird; for its legs being placed so far aft it is 

 compelled to walk very erect, and its feet, though excellently adapted for swim- 

 ming, render its progress on land rather clumsy; but it runs almost as well as the 

 moor hen, and with tolerable ease when disturbed and forced to run to shelter. 

 On the water it floats very bouyantlj', and swims with ease, though not very 

 swiftly, jerking its tail and moving its neck to and fro. It dives extremely well, 

 and when closely pursued will pass along some distance under the water, and then 

 catching hold of the stem of a stout plant will keep its body immersed, the bill 

 and fore part of the head to the eyes only being left above the surface. 



Saunders (1889) says: 



The coot may occasionally be seen perched in trees, and it sometimes ascends 

 them, leaping from branch to branch with as much ease as a gallinaceous bird. 

 It sometimes roosts in trees, and has been known to repair to them to feed on 

 berries. It generally sleeps on the water * * *. On many sheets of orna- 

 mental water the coot lives in a semidomesticated state, and will allow an ob- 

 server to approach it quite closely; otherwise it is an exceedingly wary bird, ever 

 on the alert for danger, and giving the alarm to the other waterfowl with which 

 it often congregates. 



And he quotes Hawker, who says, "If a gentleman wishes to have 

 plenty of wildfowl on his pond, let him preserve the coots, and keep 

 no tame swans." 



Hudson (1902) quotes Lord Lilford on an interesting habit of the 

 coot as follows: "I have several times observed the singular manner 

 in which a flock of these birds defend themselves against the white- 

 tailed eagle. On the appearance over them of one of these birds the}- 

 collect in a dense body, and when the eagle stoops at them they throw 

 up a sheet of water with their feet, and completely baffle their 

 enemy." A similar habit has been observed in our American coot. 



The European coot like our own is slow at taking wing, splashing 

 along the water for some distance before it cian rise in the air. On 

 migrations or when going a distance its flight is strong and swift. 



Of the cry of the coot, Seebohm (1884) says it is "loud and plain- 

 tive, sometimes a single note, but frequently repeated several times. 

 It is a clear, bell-like "A*o," not unlike the cry of the golden plover." 

 Dresser (1871) says "Its call note is a clear, loud, almost trumpet-like 

 cry, uttered abruptly; but hoard at night, when several are calling, 

 it is not unlike the shrill barking of a small dog." 



