THE COOT. 129 



time, and commonly hatches twice in a season ; her eggs 

 ire about the size of those of a pullet, and are of a pale 

 brownish white colour, sprinkled with numerous small, dark, 

 ppots, which at the thicker end, seem as if they had run 

 into each other, and formed bigger blotches. 



" As soon as the young quit the shell, they plunge into 

 the water, dive, and swim about with great ease ; but they 

 Btill gather together about the mother, and take shelter 

 under her wings, and do not entirely leave her for some 

 time. They are at first covered with sooty coloured down, 

 and are of a shapeless appearance ; while they are in this 

 state, and before they have learned by experience to shun 

 danger, the kite, moor buzzard, and others of the hawk 

 tribe, make dreadful havoc among them." 



The Cinereous Coot is sixteen inches in length, and 

 twenty-eight in extent; bill, one inch and a half long, 

 white, the upper mandible slightly notched near the tip, 

 and marked across with a band of chestnut, the lower man- 

 dible marked on each side with a squarish spot of the likn 

 colour, edged on the lower part with bright yellow, or gam 

 boge, thence to the tip, pale horn colour ; membrane of the 

 forehead, dark chestnut brown; irides, cornelian red; 

 beneath the eye, in most specimens, a whitish spot; the 

 head and neck are of a deep shining black, resembling 

 Batin ; back and scapulars, dirty greenish olive ; shoulders, 

 breast, and wing-coverts, slate blue; the under parts are 

 hoary ; vent black ; beneath the tail, pure white ; primarief 



