NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 359 



the ponds, often arriving while there is still some ice. M. P. Skinner 

 tells me that, in Yellowstone Park, "they come just as soon as the 

 ponds begin to melt"; he has seen them there as early as April 11. 

 A. D. Henderson has known them to reach northern Alberta, Lac 

 La Nonne, as early as April 16. He has seen them at Bear Lake 

 when "the lake was still full of ice, but there was a narrow strip of 

 open water along the shore on which were thousands of ducks with 

 the coots and a few Canada geese." 



Courtship. — The best account of the courtship of the coot is given 

 by Dr. Alexander Wetmore (1920) as he observed it at Lake Bur- 

 ford, New Mexico, as follows: 



Many were in pairs on the date of my arrival, but until June 5 small flocks of 

 uumated birds remained feeding in the open bays or rested in little bands on open 

 beaches. Toward the latter part of this period these flocks at short intervals 

 presented a scene of great animation as the birds displayed and fought savagely 

 with one another. A little later on the companies broke up entirel3\ Each male 

 selected an area of shore line in the tules and remained near this constantly, 

 guarding it jealously, taking frequent occasion to drive away ducks and eared 

 grebes who might chance to trespass, and having many fights with neighboring 

 males. In these encounters they drove at each other with heads extended on 

 the water and wing tips elevated. When near they began striking viciously with 

 their bills and then, lying back, struck heavily first with one large foot and then 

 the other, a most effective means of fighting as their claws were long and sharp, 

 and their leg muscles powerful. Each tried to guard against these blows by 

 seizing the feet of his antagonist so that often the two held each other b}' means 

 of their feet, while they thrust savagely with their bills. The females frequently 

 took part in these squabbles also, so that sometimes three or four birds were 

 engaged, at one time, while neighboring males came rushing up also seeming 

 minded to interfere. When they separated the males sometimes rested for sev- 

 eral minutes with heads down on the water and wing tips raised, eyeing each 

 other like two game cocks. 



Their mating actions were interesting. Males frequently rushed after females, 

 [)addling over the surface of the water with flapping wings, while the females 

 made off in the same manner, 10 feet or so ahead. Frequently the females made 

 merely a pretense at escape, striking out with their feet and making a great 

 splashing but traveling slowly, but if too closely pressed they dove, leaving the 

 males looking about for them on the surface. In the most common act of display 

 the male came paddling out with head and neck prostrate on the water, wing 

 tips raised high above the tail, and the tail spread and elevated so that the white 

 markings on either side were very prominent. As he came near the female 

 usually assumed the same attitude. When 2 or 3 feet away the male turned and 

 l)resented the prominently marked tail to the female, swimming off slowly and 

 returning to repeat the performance. This action was seen constantly when- 

 ever coots were under observation. Paired birds often swam toward one another 

 from a distance of several feet with heads extended on the water calling "kuk 

 kuk kuk kuk." As they met they assumed a more erect attitude and then as 

 they brushed against one another and turned about they dabbled in the water 

 with quick jerks of the open bill that threw drops of water from side to side. 

 Frequently the female reached over and worked her bill gently through the 

 feathers on the male's head and then lowered her head while he preened her 

 feathers in return. 



