THE AMERICAN COOT. 



|EW people call this interesting 

 bird by its correct name. It 

 has been dubbed "mud-hen" 

 for so long, that we forget it 

 has another and better name to 

 answer to. However, it seems to 

 have earned the name for itself 

 by its preference for muddy places. Another 

 name by which the bird is known is crow-duck. 

 It is nearly as black as a crow when seen in the 

 shadows of a swamp, and it swims like a duck 

 when on a pond. But you may see the difference 

 between a mud-hen and a duck by looking at the 

 feet of both. The coot is not web-footed in the 

 same fashion as the duck and the goose. Each 

 toe is separately webbed. Little short scallops of 

 web run around the whole length of each long toe. 

 This is sufficient web to 

 aid the bird in swimming, 

 but does not prevent its 

 being a good walker as 

 well. 



REFERENCE TOPICS. 

 Canvasback duck. 

 Wild ducks as game. 

 Feet of swimming birds. 

 Other marsh-birds. 



