THE COOT.] 



SHOOTING, 



[geeateb coot. 



Mr. Daniel says — " It is like the water-rail ; it 

 conceals itself during the day ; and in the 

 evening it runs and skulks by the margin of the 

 waters, among the roots of the bushes, oziers, 

 and long loose herbage which overhang the 

 banks, in quest of its food, which consists of 

 insects, worms, aquatic plants, and seeds. It will 

 likewise pick up corn from the neighbouring 

 stubbles, and is at all times very good eating ; 

 but from September to December the flesh is 

 extremely delicious." 



The nest of the female moor-hen is composed 

 of reeds and rushes woven closely together, 

 and is placed in some corner or chink by the 

 side of water, or upon the stump of an old 

 root. She lays seven eggs, which are about 

 two inches in length, of a yellowish-white hue, 

 marked with a goodly number of irregular 

 spots, of a reddish colour. Some writers 

 afiirm, that during incubation, she never leaves 

 the nest without covering the eggs with 

 leaves. She has two, and sometimes three, 

 hatchings during the summer ; and the young 

 take to the water very soon after they leave 

 the shell. 



The length of the bird is about fourteen 

 inches ; the breadth twenty-two ; and the 

 weight from twelve to fifteen ounces. The 

 bill is red, with a greenish-yellow tip, and 

 about an inch long. The head is small and 

 black, with the exception of there being a 

 white spot under each eye. The irides are 

 red. The colour of the plumage is sooty 

 black, tinged with shining olive-green. The 

 outer edge of the wing, outside feathers of the 

 tail, and under-tail coverts, are of a dull or 

 dingy white. The colour of the legs is of a 

 pale yellow, often shading off to a dark green. 

 The toes are very long ; sides broad ; and these 

 are furnished with membranous edgings, 

 which enable the moor-hen to swim, and run 

 rapidly over the surface of slimy mud. Its 

 feathers are thickly set, and bedded in down. 



This bird is difficult to shoot in the water, 

 as it dives the moment it sees the flash of the 

 gun. The best method of killicg it is to aim 

 a little below it in the water. This plan is 

 often successful. 



THE COOT. 



This is the Fulica Atra of Linnseus, and is 

 well known throughout England, as it per- 

 57G 



manently resides here. Its usual weight is 

 about twenty-eight ounces; and it is fifteen 

 inches in length. The bill is of a greenish- 

 white hue, and about an inch and a quarter 

 long. The irides are red. The upper portion 

 of the plumage is black, except the outer 

 edges of the wings, and a spot under each eye, 

 which are white. The under parts of the 

 body are of a hoary dark ash or lead colour ; 

 and the skin is protected with a coat of thick 

 down, coated with feathers closely bedded 

 together. The thighs are placed far behind, 

 and are strong, fleshy, and yellow above the 

 knees. 



The common coot has, in many of its cha- 

 racteristics, so striking a resemblance to the 

 water-rail and moor-hen, that many writers 

 have considered them as belonging to the 

 same species. Others, however, think it a 

 distinct genus, chiefly on account of its being 

 fin-footed, and from its great attachment to 

 water, whith it seldom leaves. AVith this bird 

 naturalists commence to arrange the general 

 tribe of swimmers, and place it among those 

 that mostly depend on the watery element for 

 their subsistence. It swims and dives with as 

 much ease as almost any other of the aquatic 

 tribes ; and, like those which seldom venture 

 on land, it is a bad traveller, and may be said 

 not to walk, but to splash and waddle be- 

 tween one water and another, with a laboured, 

 ill-balanced, and awkward gait. 



THE GREATER COOT. 



This bird is of a larger size than the last, 

 and differing little in colour or plumage, ex- 

 cept in being a shade darker. It is found in 

 Lancashire and in Scotland. In many sections 

 of the European continent it is abundant. 

 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 Nor- 

 thumberland. The rushes amongst which its 

 fragile home was constructed, having been 

 loosened by a high wind, the nest was forced 

 from its moorijigs, but floated upon the sur- 

 face of the water, in every direction. Not- 

 withstanding this unexpected event, the female 

 continued to sit, and brought forth her young 

 upon her movable habitation. 



For the sake of the culinary department of 

 the household, we give the following recipe for 



