40 LOBIPEDID.E. 



young from the frecjuent attacks of large and prcdaceous 

 Gulls. 



Of their habits in autumn and winter, Avhen pursued by the 

 sportsman or the fowler. Colonel Hawker says, " Coots found 

 in rivers are scarcely thought worth firing at ; yet they are 

 in great requisition when they arrive for the winter on the 

 coast, from the immense numbers that may be killed at a 

 shot, as they roost on the mud-banks. Coots, when on the 

 coast, usually travel to windward, so that a west wind brings 

 them to the west, and an easterly wind to the east, instead 

 of the contrary, as with other fowl. The plan that I have 

 found best for slaughtering the Coots by wholesale is, either 

 to listen for them before daylight, and rake them down at 

 the grey of a white frosty morning, or watch them at some 

 distance in the afternoon, and set into them as late in the 

 evening as you can see to level your gun, taking care, if 

 possible, to keep them under the western light. Coots, in- 

 stead of drawing together before they fly, like geese and 

 many other fowl, always disperse on being alarmed ; and, as 

 they generally fly to windward, the gentlemen"'s system of 

 wild-fowl shooting answers well, which is, to embark with a 

 party, sail down on them, and, as they cross, luff up and fire 

 all your barrels. When a beginner at wild sport, I used to 

 be mightily pleased with this diversion. When on the coast, 

 you may easily distinguish Coots from wild-fowl by the 

 scattered extent of their line, their high rumps, their rapid 

 swimming, and their heads being poked more forward. 



" They are generally sold for eighteen pence a couple, pre- 

 viously to which they are what is called cleaned. The recipe 

 for this is, after picking them, to take off all the black down, 

 by means of powdered resin and boiling water, and then to 

 let them soak all night in cold spring water ; by which they 

 are made to look as white and as delicate as a chicken, and 

 to cat tolerably well ; but, without this process, the skin in 

 roasting produces a sojI of oil, with a fisliy taste and smell ; 



