COOT AND WATER-RAIL. 195 



and bent upwards the head and the upper part of the neck 

 are black; the breast, belly, throat, and tail, are of a snowy 

 whiteness; and the wings and back are variegated with 

 black and white. The legs are long and naked above the 

 knees. 



In the act of flying, these birds carry their necks and 

 legs quite extended ; and make a shrill noise, expressive 

 of the syllable twit, twice repeated, from which circum- 

 stance the country people give them the name of yelpers. 

 They feed on worms and insects, which they scoop out of 

 the sand with their bill, leaving alternate semicircular 

 marks on the spot where they have been at work in quest 

 of prey. 



THE COOT. 



This bird has a sharp bill at the point, and is of a whitish 

 colour, with dusky green feet. The three fore toes have 

 scalloped membranes on each side. From the bill almost 

 to the crown of the head is a fleshy excrescence, destitute 

 of feathers. The head and body are entirely black, and 

 the breast and belly are lead-coloured. 



The coot is generally seen hovering over streams and 

 rushy marginated lakes; where it makes its nest of such 

 weeds as are supplied by the water, so that its eggs float 

 on the surface. When the young are first hatched, they 

 are very deformed, and have their heads covered with a 

 coarse red down. In winter, the coot frequently resorts to 

 the sea, and sometimes in such numbers as apparently 

 to darken the waves. There are several species of this 

 genus. 



THE WATER-RAIL. 



This bird has a long slender body, with short concave 

 wings. The head, neck, back, coverts of the wings, and 

 tail, are edged with an olive brown ; the throat, breast, and 

 upper part of the belly are ash-coloured. The legs are 

 placed far beneath ; and the toes are very long, and divided 

 K 2 



