COMMON COOT. 139 



membrane, forming rounded lobes. Wings of moderate size; the first 

 feather shorter than the second or third, which are the longest in ihe 

 wing. Tail short. 



THE COOT is a common bird upon large ponds, lakes, and 

 slow rivers ; it also frequents the level shores of some parts 

 of the coast, where extensive mud-flats are laid bare at 

 each retiring tide, preferring, however, open waters, and 

 does not, except in the breeding-season, so much seek the 

 sheltered reed-grown situations frequented by the Moor- 

 hen ; the extreme watchfulness of the Coot enabling it to 

 avoid danger. Colonel Hawker, in his Instructions to 

 Young Sportsmen, says, " If a gentleman wishes to have 

 plenty of wild-fowl on his pond, let him preserve the Coots, 

 and keep no tame Swans. The reason that all wild-fowl 

 seek the company of the Coots is because these birds are 

 such good sentries, to give the alarm by day, when the 

 fowl generally sleep." 



The Coot is seldom seen on dry land, and its power of 

 active progression on shore has been doubted ; but Mr. 

 Youell observes that those authors could have had but 

 few opportunities of noticing the habits of this bird, for, 

 instead of being awkward on land, it is fully as lively on 

 land as in the water, standing firmly and steadily, and 

 without any tottering or waddling in its gait. It picks up 

 grain with surprising alacrity, even much quicker than any 

 of our domestic poultry. If deprived of water on which 

 to pass the night, it will roost, as other land birds, upon 

 any elevated situation, and it will ascend a tree with the 

 activity of a Wren. In reference to the power of its 

 claws, the sportsman's book already referred to contains 

 the following caution : " Beware of a winged Coot, or he 

 will scratch you like a cat." 



The authors of the Catalogue of Norfolk and Suffolk 

 Birds notice the breeding of the Coots on those large 



