NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 365 



Mrs. Florence Merriam Bailoy (1910) gives a very good idea of 

 the notes as follows : 



As we walked along behind the tule hedge a confusion of most remarkable 

 sounds came from the tules where invisible coots were swimming about — cough- 

 ing sounds, froglike plunks, and a rough sawing or filing "kuk-kawk-kuk, kuk- 

 kawk-kuk," as if the saw were dull and stuck. Often there was just a grating 

 "kuk-kuk-kuk-kuk-kuk-kuk." But all the mixed medley had the sound of good 

 fellowship, and, too, as open fearless disregard of who might be passing the other 

 side of the tule screen — for who wanted coots? 



Enemies. — On the Atlantic coast and in Florida, where bald eagles 

 are common, these cowardly birds of prey seem to be the coots' 

 worst enemies. C. J. Maynard (1896) writes: 



The eagle hovers over a bunch of coots and endeavors by diving down towards 

 the flock to make them scatter. The eagle will never attack a coot when sur- 

 rounded by its fellows, but the instant one is separated from the flock his life is 

 in jeopardy, for, no matter how expertly he dives, his untiring enemy is above 

 him whenever he comes to the surface, and drives him further and further from his 

 friends, who will never attempt to protect him, but who swim away as fast as their 

 lobated toes would propel them. But the chase, unequal in the outset, soon ends — 

 the exhausted coot rises for the air which it must have, when like a thunderbolt 

 falls the eagle and the lifeless waterfowl is borne away to satisfy the hunger of 

 the eaglets who are waiting, expectant, in their stick-built home in the high top 

 of some neighboring pine. I have never seen the coots attempt to defend them- 

 selves even when in a body, in fact, they always dive and scatter somewhat 

 when the eagle comes swooping downward toward them, but quickly gather 

 again as soon as they rise. The reason why the eagle tries to separate one coot 

 from its fellows must be that he can then trace that particular bird, and by 

 chasing it until it is exhausted, effect its capture, whereas it would quite easily 

 elude him if it kept among its fellows. Among coots, their safety lies in numbers, 

 even if all be cowards, but the wonder is, not that the eagles know this, but that 

 the coots themselves do. 



But the eagle is not always successful. The following incident is 

 related by Moses Williams, jr., in a letter to Dr. Charles W. Townsend: 



An eagle after putting a large flock of ducks and geese to flight in the usual 

 way, approached a flock of some 200 coots. They crowded together so that from 

 our boat they appeared to be a solid black mass. When he came over them, he 

 dropped from a height of about 25 yards to within a few feet. He did not swoop, 

 but rather, comparatively slowly, pointed his flight downward. Immediately 

 the coots set up such a splashing that the black spot was converted into a mass 

 of white spray. The eagle hovered over them for a moment, apparently looking 

 for an individual to strike at and then passed on. The splashing ceased only to 

 begin again as he turned and again stooped and the same thing happened three 

 more times and then the eagle gave it up and in two minutes the coots were 

 again in open formation and swimming about and feeding in their usual animated 

 way. We were all quite sure that the flock made no attempt to get away, but 

 did their splashing throughout on the same spot. It seemed to me a very intel- 

 ligent performance on the part of a bird, which could not escape by flying or diving 

 as the other fowl can. 



FaU. — The hardy coots not only arrive early in their northern 

 homes, but they are loath to leave in the fall, lingering often until 



