344 



COOTS. 



THE last form among the British Rallidce is still 

 more aquatic than the preceding, swimming freely, 

 and diving expertly for its food. 



FULICA, Linn. Generic characters. -Bill strong, 

 compressed ; culmen gently curved to the tip, 

 and forming a large frontal shield; nostrils 

 oval, medial, pervious, pierced in the mem- 

 hrane of the nasal furrow ; maxilla with a con- 

 siderable apical angle ; wings of middle length, 

 rather pointed, second quill considerably larger 

 than the first; legs rather short, strong, fea- 

 thered nearly to the tarsal joint; feet large; 

 toes long and slender, cleft to the base, and 

 bordered with a broad lobed membrane ; hallux 

 articulated on the same plane, bordered with 

 a continuous membrane; claws 'sharp, gently 

 curved, compressed. 



Types, F. atra, Americana, &c. Europe, Asia, 

 Africa, America. 



Note. Swim and dive with facility ; pursue their 

 food under water ; partially maritime ; flight 

 powerful ; breed among herbage growing in the 

 water ; lay numerous eggs. 



