rEN-BIBD SHOOTING. 119 



larger size tlian the last,^ but differs little in colour or plumage, 

 except its being a sliade darker. It is found in Lancashire, and in 

 Scotland. Inmany sections of the European continent these birds 

 are very-plentiful. There is a curious anecdote told of a bald coot, 

 that built her nest in Sir William Middleton's lake, at Belsay 

 Castle, in the county of Northumberland. The rushes of which 

 it was constructed having been loosened by a high wind, the nest 

 was di'iven about, and floated upon the surface of the water, in 

 every direction, notmthstanding which, the female continued to 

 sit, and brought forth her young upon her moveable habitation. 



^ Tor cooking these birds the following recipe has been given from 

 high authority. After picking them, take off the black down, by 

 means of powdered black rosin and boiHng water, and then let them 

 soak all night in cold spring-water. This process makes them look 

 as delicate as a chicken, and to become tolerably tender and juicy. 

 Unless this be done, the skin, in roasting, becomes oily, and has a 

 strong fishy taste and smell : and when taken off becomes dry, and 

 good for nothing. But, after all, the best method is to skin them at 

 once, and after soaking them twenty-four hours in cold spring- water, 

 repeatedly changed, they can be made into a pudding or pie, or into 

 soup. By these means, the skin is got rid of, without losing the juice 

 of the flesh ; and their fishy taste is, in a great degree, drawn off 

 by steam. 



Mr. Daniel says, — "The female makes her nest in the rushes, 

 surrounded by the water, with a large quantity of coarse dried 

 weeds matted together, and lines it with fine soft grass. She lays 

 from twelve to fifteen (some say eighteen or twenty) eggs, about 

 the size of a pullet's, and of a pale brownish colour speckled with 

 numerous small dark spots, which at the thicker end seem as if 

 they had run into each other, and formed bigger blotches. So soon 

 as the young quit the shell, they plunge into the water, and dive 

 and swim with much ease ; but they still gather together about the 

 mother, take shelter under her wings, and do not forsake her for 

 some time. Erom the circumstance of coots laying so numerously, 

 and hatching twice in the season, they might_ be expected to be 

 more abundant ; but they are at first covered with a sooty-coloured 

 down, and are of a shapeless appearance ;_ and while in this state, 

 and before they have learned from experience to shun their foes, 

 the moor buzzard, kite, and other of the hawk tribe, make dreadful 

 havoc amon^ them. The pike is likewise an indiscriminate devourer 

 of these birds. The young coots are extremely good put iuto pies, 

 or boiled ^\dth onions, like rabbits ; and ia the winter, when fat, 

 and they haunt the sea-shore, they are of g3 high flavour and 

 equally as pleasant to taste as the widgeon." 



The coot is a difiicult bird to flush, and to obtain a fair flying 

 shot at. The suspicious and stealthy habits of these birds keep 

 them for ever out of sight, and dogs are seldom able to make much 

 impression upon them in rousiug them from their lurking holes. 

 We have seen them pursued in Erance by two shooters, one on 



