198 BIRDS OF CHESHIRE. 
and Bosley Reservoir, on the eastern confines of the 
Plain. 
In severe winters the Coot is common in the Dee 
Estuary, and probably frequents the tidal waters of 
the Mersey, although Mr. R. Newstead, senior, has only 
once seen it at Ince1 When the meres are ice-bound, 
however, many of the birds still remain in their 
immediate vicinity. In 1886, when Rostherne Mere 
was completely frozen so late as the middle of March, 
Coward saw the Coots, disturbed by the skaters, rise 
repeatedly from the reed-beds and wheel overhead in 
compact flocks. Again, at Tatton in January 1891, he 
saw the birds feeding on the grass in large numbers, 
some hundreds of yards away from the mere which 
was covered with skaters. 
The nest of the Coot, which, if circumstances permit, 
is built in a reed-bed, seldom rises more than a few 
inches above the water-line, but in case of a flood the 
bird makes considerable additions to the structure. 
In June 1886 we found several nests at Rostherne 
which were supported on bulky foundations of reeds 
and stood two to three feet above the level of the 
mere, whose waters had receded at the termination of 
a long spell of wet weather. 
When lying on the dead reeds spotted with black 
fungoid growth, the stone-grey eggs minutely speckled 
with black are peculiarly adapted to their environment, 
being almost invisible. The significance of this colora- 
tion is very apparent when the eggs are deposited 
under unusual conditions. At Bosley Reservoir, where 
there are no reeds, we have seen nests constructed of 
black water-stained sticks and roots built amongst the 
osiers, in which the eggs were very conspicuous. On 
1 Dobie, op. cit. p. 332. 
