Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



525 



shore. One of their favorite feeding gTounds is off ArUngton sta- 

 tion; another is in Outlet Bay where they can be easily observed 

 from the Chadwick Hotel. In each of these places they remained 

 day and night unless disturbed, or when those parts of the lake 

 were made rough by winds, when they would fly to some protected 

 corner of the lake. 



The depth of the water over these feeding grounds varied from 

 4 to 25 feet, and the bottom everywhere was well covered with 

 various species of Potamogeton, Myriophyllum, Nitella, Tolypella, 

 Vallisneria, Naias, Chara, and other kinds of plants. Chara and 

 Nitella grew in the more shallow water, and Tolypella in the deep- 

 est, w^hile the tapegrass or wild celery {Vallisneria spiralis) grows 

 in all depths from 2 to 24 feet. 



Watching the coots from shore with a pair of good field-glasses 

 was an extremely fascinating pastime. There is, of course, no 

 doubt about the Coot's ability to swim well. This they do quite as 

 well and as gracefully as most ducks. 



They are also very noisy or loquacious, keeping up their calls 

 and conversations during all hours of the day and night. They are 

 particularly noisy w4ien feeding. In the spring they have a pecul- 

 iar call much resembling that of the cuckoo or raincrow. 



Aiid contrary to some observers they are expert divers. They 

 dive habitually and regularly when feeding, with the greatest ease 

 and grace, also when wounded, to escape their pursuer. The Coot 

 dives with greater abruptness than any duck we have observed. 

 The body turns very quickly and is usually in a nearly vertical 

 position before entirely submerged. There is, of course, great ir- 

 regularity in the frequency of their diving. The character of the 

 weather, whether they are disturbed or not, the success of their 

 dives, and the extent of their hunger, are factors determining the 

 frequency. Ordinarily, however, one dive follows another very 

 quickly, so that when w^atching a flock of a dozen or more, one or 

 more individuals can be seen going down and others emerging at 

 any moment. 



The maximum deptii to which they can descend was not defi- 

 nitely determined; but they reach bottom certainly in as much as 

 25 feet. In front of our cottage was a buoy marking a 25-foot 

 hole, and we have often seen Coots close to this buoy diving and 

 bringing up food from the bottom. ITsually, however, their choice 

 feeding grounds are in depths between I and 18 feet. 



The length of time the Coot remains under water varies greatly, 

 and is probably determined chiefly by the depth to which they dive 



