334 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



intense excitement and rivalry of the shooters fatal 

 accidents to human beings are by no means infrequent. 

 I have taken part in a few of these battues on a com- 

 paratively small scale in Corsica, and found that the 

 killing of Coots, "rocketting" down wind, from a 

 boat is, to say the least of it, quite as much a trial of 

 skill as the modern system of Pheasant-shooting. 



The Church of Rome holds that this fowl is fish, 

 and permits Coots to be eaten on fast-days and 

 during Lent, so that in the countries that border the 

 western Mediterranean these birds will always fetch 

 at least the cost of a charge of powder and shot. 

 The most I can say of the flesh of these birds is that 

 it is eatable when nothing better is to be had ; but 

 many people esteem it highly when properly prepared 

 for table, and the general opinion of our yacht's crew 

 on the Corsican coast was that a Coot pie was better 

 than a similar confection of Rock-Doves ; we, however, 

 share the taste of an old Suffolk gamekeeper of whom 

 we have been told, who on being asked if he liked 

 Coots for eating, replied, " I can't say that I fare to 

 be heully wrapped up in 'em." 



Coots on the open water defend themselves from 

 the attacks of birds of prey by gathering into a 

 compact mass and, when their assailant makes his 

 stoop, throwing up a sheet of water with their feet. 

 On one occasion in Epirus we saw a White-tailed 

 Eagle so drenched by this device that he had 

 considerable difficulty in reaching a tree at about a 

 hundred yards' distance. 





