V0L 192<? VI1 ] Wetmore, Birds of Lake Burford, N. Mex. 395 



area of shoreline in the tules and remained near this constantly, guarding 

 it jealously, taking frequent occasion to drive away ducks and Eared 

 Grebes who might chance to trespass, and having many fights with neigh- 

 boring males. In these encounters they drove at each other with heads 

 extended on the water and the wing-tips elevated. When near they began 

 striking viciously with their bills and then, lying back, struck heavily 

 first with one large foot and then the other, a most effective means of 

 fighting as their claws were long and sharp, and their leg muscles powerful. 

 Each tried to guard against these blows by seizing the feet of his antagon- 

 ist so that often the two held each other by means of their feet, while they 

 thrust savagely with their bills. The females frequently took part in 

 these squabbles also, so that sometimes three or four birds were engaged 

 at one time, while neighboring males came rushing up also seeming minded 

 to interfere. When they separated the males sometimes rested for several 

 minutes with heads down on the water and wing-tips raised, eyeing each 

 other like two game cocks. 



Their mating actions were interesting. Males frequently rushed after 

 females, paddling over the surface of the water with flapping wings, while 

 the females made off in the same manner, ten feet or so ahead. Fre- 

 quently the females made merely a pretense at escape, striking out with 

 their feet and making a great splashing but traveling slowly, but if too 

 closely pressed they dove leaving the males looking about for them on 

 the surface. In the most common act of display the male came paddling 

 out with head and neck prostrate on the water, wing tips raised high 

 above the tail, and the tail spread and elevated so that the white markings 

 on either side were very prominent. As he came near the female usually 

 assumed the same attitude. When two or three feet away the male turned 

 and presented the prominently marked tail to the female, swimming off 

 slowly and then returning to repeat the performance. This action was 

 seen constantly whenever coots were under observation. Paired birds 

 often swam toward one another from a distance of several feet with heads 

 extended on the water calling kek kek kek kek. As they met they assumed 

 a more erect attitude and then as they brushed against one another and 

 turned about they dabbled in the water with quick jerks of the open bill 

 that threw drops of water from side to side. Frequently the female reached 

 over and worked her bill gently through the feathers on the male's head 

 and then lowered her head while he preened her feathers in return. 



A nest foundation was found on May 29 and on June 3 one bird was 

 observed resting in a completed nest. By June 7 nests were common 

 and by June 12 nests newly begun or containing sets of eggs were to be 

 found in every projecting point of tules. In building the female arranged 

 the dead stems of the round-stalked Scirpus occidentalis to form a plat- 

 form, bending them over and striking them repeatedly with her bill to make 

 them stay in position, causing a peculiar knocking, hammering noise that 

 at this season was to be heard in the rushes on all sides. Frequently 



