278 BIRDS OF EGYPT. 



2U3. FuLiCA ATRA, Linn. Common Coot. 



This species ranges throughout Egypt and Nubia, and is 

 extremely abundant on all the lakes. 



Entire plumage dark slate-colour, shading into black on 

 the neck and head ; the wings have a narrow white edging to 

 them, and the secondaries are slightly washed with that 

 colour towards their tips ; beak and frontal shield pure white ; 

 legs dusky white, shaded ■tvith yellow next to the feathers and 

 on the sides of the tarsi, the joints and soles of the feet 

 shaded with black ; irides brownish red. 



Entu-e length 16 inches; culmen 1-2, with frontal plate 

 2"3 ; wing, carpus to tip, 8 ; tarsus 2 •2. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 338. 



294. FuLiCA CEiSTATA, Liun. Crested Coot. 



The Crested Coot appears to be plentiful at times in 

 Egypt, and extends, I believe, throughout Nubia. 1 never 

 met with a specimen while in the country ; but a resident 

 informed me that they are abundant dming the inundations. 



Similar in size and plumage to F. atra, but distinguished 

 by having two red knobs on the white frontal plate. 



295. Cygnbs olor, Linn. Mute Sweat. 



According to Von Heuglin (Syst. Ueb. p. 65) both this 

 and the next species come into Lower Egypt singly or in 

 small flocks in the winter, being especially noted ui the 

 neighbourhood of Damietta. 



Entire plumage white ; beak orange, with its edges, as 



