COOT SHOOTING. 253 



respects (save witchcraft), became notorious as the famous resort of 

 coots ; and it was proverbial, when speaking- of any one from that 

 little town, to hear the sig'nificant appellation of a " Manning'- 

 tree coot" applied to him. Before the invention of punt-guns, 

 these birds were so numerous on that river,* that the gixnners never 

 thoug-ht of shooting at small numbers, but only at very large coverts 5 

 and then not unless there was a chance of killing- from a dozen to a 

 score and upwards at one shot ; which, with the guns at that time in 

 use, was considered pretty good sport. 



Coots are much tamer sometimes than at others, more especially 

 when not suspecting* an enemy ; and often the veriest bumpkin who 

 ranged the shore with a shoulder- g-un found no difficulty in shooting 

 a pair or two of coots. 



At the time of which we are now speaking, the ordinary re- 

 tail price of a pair of coots in that neighbourhood was sixpence ; 

 and the venders sometimes found great difficulty in disposing of 

 them even at that rate. The wild-fowl shooter who pursued the 

 sport as a means of maintenance, never thought of shooting at coots 

 if other fowl were near, or if there was the smallest chance of kilUng 

 anything- more saleable. 



But, notwithstanding that the coots were formerly thought of so 

 little value in the vicinity of the Stour, in some other localities they 

 were as eagerly sought as any other wild-fowl ; for with some men 

 the coot is esteemed as superior to wild-duck. Although I cannot 

 say I agree with those who hold that opinion, I do consider the 

 coot, when dressed d la Soyer, a very wholesome and delicious 

 bird. 



The best manner of divesting the coot of the thick down in which 

 it is encased, and which so tries the patience of the cook, is 

 to put the bird, after it has been plucked, into scalding water ; 

 then, by taking some powdered resin in the hand, and rubbing the 

 skin of the coot, the down may be easily removed, leaving the skin 

 as clean and delicate as that of a wild-duck. The stubbornness of 

 the down on the body of the coot has induced some cooks to resort 

 to the foolish plan of flaying the bird, a process which spoils it for 

 cooking. 



Among the signs and marvels of the age of superstition, the move- 



* The author of " British Field Sports" says he " has actually beheld upon the 

 Manniugtree river, in Essex, a shoal of coots reaching tivo miles in lenfjth, as thick 

 as they could well swim, and half-a-mile over." 



