34 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



COOT, COMMON. 



(Fulica atra.) 

 Order FULICARLE ; Family RALLID^: (RAILS). 



Description of Parent 

 Birds. Length about 

 eighteen inches. Bill of 

 medium length, nearly 

 straight, and dull white 

 tinged with red. There 

 is a smooth, naked white 

 patch on the forehead 

 which readily distin- 

 guishes this bird from 

 the Waterhen, with its 

 red shield. Irides hazel. 

 Under the eye is a nar- 

 row, curved line of white. 



COOT ON NEST. , . , , - 



The whole of the plum- 

 age is black with exception of white on the bend 

 of the wing and narrow bar formed by the 

 white tips of the secondaries. The under-parts are 

 tinged with bluish-grey. Legs, toes, and scallop- 

 shaped lobes on either side of the latter, dark green. 

 Above the knee is an orange-coloured garter. 



The female is similar in size and appearance to 

 the male. 



Situation and Locality. Amongst reeds, rushes, 

 osiers, and other aquatic herbage in marshes, by 

 the sides of ponds, reservoirs, large sluggish rivers, 

 and lakes. They are generally built up from 

 the bottom, but are sometimes simply moored to 

 surrounding objects, and, becoming detached by 

 wind or floods, float about without any apparent 



