A ROCKY MOUNTAIN LAKE 145 



would make the spray fly and cut a swath on the smooth 

 bosom of the lake. 



Several coots now appeared on the scene. Between 

 them and the ruddy ducks there seemed to be a feud of 

 more or less intensity, each being on the offensive or the 

 defensive as the exigencies of naval warfare demanded. 

 Once I was moved to laughter as a coot made a fierce 

 dash toward one of the ducks, and was almost upon her, 

 and I thought she was destined to receive a severe 

 trouncing, when she suddenly dodged her pursuer by 

 diving. He just as suddenly gave up the chase, looking 

 as if it were a case of " sour grapes," anyway. 



After watching the antics of these birds for a long 

 time, I turned my attention to another pretty scene, 

 a pair of coots leading their family of eight or ten little 

 ones out into the clear area from their hiding-place 

 among the reeds, presenting a picture of unruffled do- 

 mestic bliss. How sweet and innocent the little coots 

 were ! Instead of the black heads and necks of their 

 parents, and the white bills and frontal bones, these 

 parts were tinted with red, which appeared quite bright 

 and gauze-like in the sunshine. 



The process of feeding the juvenile birds was interest- 

 ing. The parents would swim about, then suddenly dip 

 their heads into the water, or else dive clear under, 

 coming up with slugs in their bills. Turning to the 

 youngsters, which were always close upon their heels 



10 



