AMERICAN COOT—MUD-HEN, HELL-DIVER. 195 
strued into exclamations of content and _ satisfaction 
with themselves. 
When a boat is seen approaching them, or a hunter 
is noticed on the shore, or comes through the rice-stalks, 
making a loud, rattling crashing sound, they compress 
their dark bodies to the earth, and slide and glide from 
off their pleasant dozing places through the rushes, 
and skulk along until they reach a place deep enough 
toswim; then they all head for the deep and open water, 
and swim in dense bodies, until they think they have 
reached a place of safety. If the young hunter wants 
to hear the report of his gun, and see the shot splash in 
the water, he can now do so,—they wont fly, but will 
just keep out of range. Mallards and other ducks 
appear to look on them with contempt, and do not seek 
their company. This is no cause of offense to the mud_ 
hen, and they go where they please in perfect indiffer- 
ence as to whether or not they are welcome. When 
forced to fly they present a very pretty target as they 
go past. Their flight being regular, steady and about 
the swiftness of a mallard. As they arise from the 
water they present a ludicrous appearance. It takes 
them a long time to getunder headway. They start, the 
tips of their wings beating the water, instantaneously 
their feet get in motion, and off they go. First their 
wings avoid hitting the surface, then, for perhaps 30 or 
40 yards, their feet kick the water behind them, present- 
ing to the eye of the observer miniature waves and tiny 
billows of sparkling white-caps, which soon disappear 
and dissolve, commingling with the body of the lake. 
Do not allow them around your decoys,—they will keep 
ducks away; but drive them out by showing yourself, 
or occasionally shooting at them. 
