COOT 213 



The European ornithologists represent the membrane on the 

 forehead of the Fulica atra as white, except in the breeding 

 season, when it is said to change its colour to pale red. In eve- 

 ry specimen of the Cinereous Coot which I have seen, except 

 one, the membrane of the forehead was of a dark chestnut brown 

 colour. The one alluded to was a fine adult male, shot in the 

 Delaware, at Philadelphia, on the llth of May; the membrane 

 was of a pure white; no white marking beneath the eye; legs 

 and feet of a bright grass green. 



In Wilson's figure of the Coot, accompanying this volume, 

 there are some slight errors: the auriculars are designated, which 

 should not have been done, as they are not distinguishable from 

 the rest of the plumage of the head and neck, which is all of a fine 

 satiny texture; and the outline of the bill is not correct. 



Latham states that the Common European Coot, F. atra, is 

 "met with in Jamaica, Carolina, and other parts of North Ame- 

 rica." This I presume is a mistake, as I have never seen but 

 one species of Coot in the United States. Brown, in speaking 

 of the birds of Jamaica, mentions a Coot, which, in all probabi- 

 lity, is the same as ours. The Coot mentioned by Sloane, is 

 the Common Gallinule. So is also that spoken of in the Natu- 

 ral History of Barbadoes, by Hughes, p. 71. 



In Lewis and Clark's History of their expedition, mention 

 is made of a bird, which is common on the Columbia; is said 

 to be very noisy, to have a sharp, shrill whistle, and to associ- 

 ate in large flocks; it is called the Black Duck.* This is doubt- 

 less a species of Coot, but whether or not different from ours 

 cannot be ascertained. How much is it to be regretted, that in 

 an expedition of discovery, planned and fitted out by an enlight- 

 ened government, furnished with every means for safety, sub- 

 sistence and research, not one naturalist, not one draftsman, 



* History of the Expedition, vol. ii, p. 194. Under date of November 

 30th, 1805, they say: "The hunters brought in a few black ducks of a spe- 

 cies common in the United States, living in large flocks, and feeding on 

 grass: they are distinguished by a sharp white beak, toes separated, and by hav- 

 ing 710 crow." 



