226 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



in Audley End Park. Dr. Bree also (32a) notes a nest containing six eggs, 

 twelve feet above the water, in a holly-tree at Alresford. 



Varieties do not often occur, but Mr. Travis has a pied bird, shot at Debden 

 early in i88g. 



Coot : Fulica atra. Locally, "^Bald Coot." 



An abundant resident, frequenting large sheets of water near the 

 coast. It is sometimes, but not often, seen inland on the lakes in 

 Skreens,- Audley End, Wanstead and other parks, where it occa- 

 sionally breeds. It is probably decreasing in numbers, through the 

 draining of its haunts. Years ago, it is described as appearing in 

 extraordinary numbers on the Essex coast : for instance, the Rev. 

 J. C. Atkinson says (36. 136) : " In former days I have sometimes 

 seen them in straggling flocks of several hundreds or thousands 

 along the tideway on the Essex Coast." 



Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear write (9. 49) : — 



" In autumn and winter, these birds make their appearance on the rivers in 

 vast flocks, and upon an appointed day all the boats and guns are put into requi- 

 sition, and a general attack is made upon them. On the bank of the Stour, the 

 fowlers approach them, while sitting upon the ooze, by concealing themselves be- 

 hind a screen made of bushes, which is placed upon a sledge and driven before them. 



* * * On cros'-ing the Stour in the month of January, 1819, in a dead calm, we 

 observed the Coots floating upon the water in a semi-circle. On our approach 

 within about 200 yards, the whole body, amounting at the least calculation to 

 several thousands, partly rose and flapped along the surface of the water, making 

 a tremendous rushing noise. Had there been any wind they would have risen 

 into the air without any difficulty ; but, there being none, they could scarcely dis- 

 entangle their feet. * * * Foxes frequent the banks of the Stour very early in the 

 morning to catch the wounded birds, which generally make to land, and of which 

 there are sometimes great numbers. The larger kinds of Gulls often attack and 

 devour Coots. We have observed the latter, on the approach. of their enemy, 

 rush together from all quarters and form a close, round, compact body, appearing 

 like bees in the act of swarming. The Gull kept hovering over their heads, and fre- 

 quently dashed within a yard or two of them. Whenever he flew to a distance, 

 the Coots dispersed, and again at his return flocked together. This scene con- 

 tinued as long as we stood upon the shore, which was more than half an hour. 



* * * A bird of this species, having the whole plumage white, except the head 

 and tail, was seen on the Stour last December [1825]." 



Mr. Bond met with a few, probably reared in the neighbourhood, at Southend 

 early in Sept., 1842 (23. 40). Lindsey says (27. App. 55) that at Harwich it " is 

 to be met with on the coast when the tide is down." Lieut. Legge, writing in 

 1866, says (34. 603): "The Coot is very plentiful on the fresh water in the 

 Essex marshes. They are especially numerous on the lagoons at Pitsea. On the 

 5th of May I found their nests in tolerable numbers in that locality." After 

 heavy rains, causing floods, they will stuff fresh sedge underneath their nests 

 thus raising them and causing them to float. Instances of this were observed by 

 Dr. Salter at ToUesbury after the heavy rains of May lith, 1889. Mr. Fitch and 

 myself found many nests in the fleets on the Old Hall Marshes, ToUesbury, in 

 June, 1888. Mr. A. J. Crosfield on May 23rd, 1879, found a nest containing 

 seven hard-set eggs among the reeds at the head of Dagenham Gulf. King, 

 in 1838, says (20) it was then " rare " in the Sudbury district. Mr. Clarke 

 mentions (24) one at The Roos in Feb., 1829, one at Audley End on Feb. l6th 



