118 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



Breedi)ig Scaso)i. — September to Deceinber u.saally. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King Island, New South 

 Wales, Victoria, South Austraha, Queensland, Northern Territory ; 

 also New Zealand, Norfolk and Ijord Howe Islands. 



Observations. — In many parts of Tasmania the Bald-Coot is 

 more or less plentiful, but, taking it altogether, it is not as plentiful 

 as the Native-Hen. Nearly every swamp, lagoon, and river flat 

 supplies its quota. It is said that this bird becomes easily domesti- 

 cated and will live quite contentedly among poultry. Like the 

 previous species, it is very destructive to sprouting grain, so much 

 so that farmers in affected districts have occasionally been forced to 

 organize a regular battue. It has a rather extraordinary method 

 of eating its vegetable food. It seizes the food between the hind 

 claw and sole of one foot, holding it up, and rapidly devouring it 

 in small pieces. Like the Native-Hen, it is a very swift runner, 

 and makes use of this power to escape from its enemies, fancied 

 or real. Only when hard pressed does it take to flight. Early 

 morning and evening are the best times to see this bird, for it 

 is at such times that it sallies out in search of food, which is similar 

 to that of the preceding species. Down the Eiver Tamar, where 

 it is frequently secured by shooting parties, it has developed great 

 cunning, for often the heads of the birds may be seen peering over 

 the tops of the long reeds, which they have climbed to see if danger 

 threatens. As soon as they know they are perceived they drop 

 out of sight and scurry away. 



COOT 



{Fulica australis, Gould). 



Male. — Head and neck black; whole of the upper surface bluish 

 to greyish black ; under surface black ; irides red ; bill bluish-grey ; 

 legs and feet blackish. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 370; bill, 

 36; wing, 177; tail, 51 ; tarsus, 47. 



Female. — Similar to male except that the mider surface is 

 greyish and the feathers are very narrowly margined with whitish. 



Young. — " The young in down are black, having yellow hair- 

 like tips, the down thickest about the face and neck; bill cream 

 colour" (A. J. Campbell). 



Nest. — A bulky structure, partly submerged; composed of 

 broken reeds and other aquatic plants, the top not coming more 

 than a few inches above the surface of the water. It is placed 

 in a swamp or a lagoon. 



Eggs. — Clutch seven to nine; oval in shape; texture of shell 

 somewhat coarse ; surface slightly glossy ; colour dull or bufTy- 

 white, or else stone colour, spotted and freckled with small spots 

 of dark purplish -brown, many appearing as though below the sur- 

 face. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch: — (1) 51 x 36, (2) 52 x 85. 

 (3) 52 X 34, (4) 51 x 33, (5) 49 x 33, (6) 50 x 34, (7) 51 x 35. 



