180 COOT. 



the bird becomes dry, and good for nothing. After 

 all, however, these birds are in no way delicate, except 

 when skinned ; and after being soaked twenty-four 

 hours in cold spring water, repeatedly changed, made 

 into a pudding, by which, as with all such birds, 

 when in puddings, pies, or soup, you can get rid of 

 their strong skins without losing the juice of their 

 flesh ; and their fishy taste is, in a great measure, 

 drawn off by steam. (Moorhens may be cleaned 

 in like manner ; and, if in good condition, they will 

 then be nearly equal to any wildfowl.) Coots, when 

 on a large pond, generally swim or flutter out of 

 reach, on being approached by a shooter ; and as they 

 are not worth bestowing much trouble on, the best 

 way to kill them is to place yourself somewhat con- 

 cealed under the leeward bank, while another person 

 goes round, and fires a gun to windward, before they 

 can swim into any rushes. They will thenjly up in 

 great confusion, and, most likely, for some minutes 

 afford employment for a dozen guns. Shoot well 

 forward, as one shot before and under the wings of 

 a coot will stop him sooner than ten in the hinder 

 parts. This, by the way, should be observed with 

 most other birds. 



Coots, when on the coast, usually travel to wind- 

 ward, so that a west wind brings them to the west, 

 and an easterly wind to the east* instead of vice versa, 

 as with other fowl. These birds take such a hard 

 blow, and are so tenacious of life, that you may often 

 stop ten or twenty at a shot, and by the time you 



