318 GAME BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA 



surface until apparently forced to come up for air (H. C. Bryant, 

 MS). 



In contrast to the sombre hue of the adult the downy young is a 

 most brightly colored bird. The general color is shiny black, but on 

 the throat, neck, Avings and back there are patches of crinkled fuzzy 

 feathers with hair-like terminations which are of a Chinese orange 

 shade, brightening to orange vermillion on the head. The bill is a 

 bright vermillion except for the tip, which is black. The top of the 

 head is at first bare except for a few short black bristles. 



A quite significant and interesting fact was noted in that the feet of the 

 young grew far more rapidly in proportion than the rest of their body. A 

 half-grown Mud-hen has astonishingly large feet, and after observing the 

 ease wath which the youngsters swam and dived (apparently just as well as the 

 adults), the relative importance of those members to the early success of 

 the individual seemed plain. The young of a family near camp returned with 

 both parents to the old nest each evening at dusk, but much squabbling and 

 jostling, accompanied by various toots, grunts, and cries, took place before 

 they were all finally settled for the night (Grinnell, 1908, pp. 54-55). 



Rich (1907, p. 247) writes concerning the Mud-hen in the East: 

 "In summer the separate families keep by themselves, but when in the 

 fall the young are fully fledged and ready for business flocks of con- 

 siderable size are formed preparatory to migrating." The same is 

 true of California birds. 



Coots are noisy birds and their explosive cackling notes are the 

 commonest sounds emanating from our tule swamps. The usual call- 

 note is a pulque, pulque, pulque, often with a peculiar resonant quality. 

 When alarmed a flock breaks out into a great chorus of these cackling 

 notes, and this seems to act as a warning, as most of the birds in the 

 vicinity at once scurry for cover. 



The Coot is an excellent swimmer and spends much of its time 

 on the water. It prefers the margins of shallow lakes and ponds, 

 however, and often wanders about on the shore. Safety is more often 

 sought by swimming than by flight. When forced to fly a bird 

 "runs" along on top of the water for some distance before gaining 

 headway enough to rise from the surface. Both wings and feet make 

 the water fly in every direction, producing a characteristic sound 

 and wake. Even when well started, the flight is labored, and as soon 

 as fairly out of danger's way, the bird usually drops back into the 

 water with an appearance of complete exhausion. Yet it must be 

 remembered that in parts of its range the Coot undertakes extensive 

 annual migrations. Rich (1907, p. 247) states that it swims well 

 under water, "using its wings in conjunction with its long, lobed feet, 

 which are a most serviceable pair of paddles." Coues (1874, p. 543) 

 says of a flock on open water: "They swam with ease and gracefully; 



