330 The Coot's Lack of Foresight. 



almost surrounded ~by bushes, is a favorite nesting- 

 place. The brooks that run in are occasionally used 

 by ducks in the same way, and one of the large 

 ditches which is full of flags and rushes and well 

 sheltered is now and then selected. But the ducks 

 do not breed in any number, though the}- used to do 

 so within living memoiy. 



The coots cannot be overlooked in spring ; they 

 chase each other to and fro over the surface in the 

 liveliest manner, and their nests are common. Moor- 

 hens, of course, are here in numbers. Why is it 

 that they never seem to learn wisdom in placing 

 their nests? Whether in the lake, in the ponds, or 

 brooks, the}' exhibit the same lack of foresight as to 

 changes of level in the water; so that frequently 

 their nests are quite drowned out. Occasionally in 

 the brooks the nest is floated bodily down the stream 

 by a sudden rise. These mishaps they might easily 

 avoid b}- placing them a little higher up the bank. 



In the lake there are several acres of withy bushes 

 which when the water is low are on dry land, but in 

 spring and early summer stand five or six feet deep. 

 This is a favorite nesting-place with the coots : and 

 the}" show the same neglect of the teachings of expe- 

 rience ; for their nests are placed almost on the 

 water, and if it rises, as it often does, they are 

 flooded. 



It is said that otters used to come to the mere 

 many years ago ; but they have never done so lately, 

 though stories of their having been seen are frequent. 

 One summer the story was so positive and so often 

 repeated that I made a thorough search, and found 

 that it originated in the motions of a large diving 



