THE COOT 245 



THE COOT. WHITE-BILLED MUD-HEN. 

 ''CROW DUCK." 



(Fulica americana.) 



A common bird in our marshes, well known 

 to the duck hunter, and remarkable principally 

 for its long, lobed toes. This bird is a sort of 

 connecting link, — an intermediate family be- 

 tween the gallinules and the waterfowl proper. 

 It closely resembles the gallinules save that its 

 feet are furnished with wide lobes on the toes, 

 much like the feet of a grebe, while the gallinule 

 has the long, slender toes of the rail family. 



The Coot is most common in the fresh water 

 ponds and lakes, avoiding the rivers and ap- 

 pearing only casually in the sea marshes, 

 plainly preferring the still waters and stagnant 

 fens where there is an abundance of water in- 

 sects and vegetable matter. They swim well 

 and dive as deftly as any duck. The writer has 

 met them several times swimming in a broad 

 arm of the sea, almost the open ocean. 



The Coot arrives in our latitude about the 

 middle of April and goes about its nesting at 

 once, sometimes raising two broods in a sea- 



