70 



BRITISH BIRDS 



Fig. 85. 



Eggs. Usually 6-10. Light buff to clay-yellow more or less 

 spotted or blotched with brownish or purplish-red, and under- 

 lying ash-grey. Av. size, 1*76 x 1*25 in. Laying begins in 

 April, sometimes earlier. 2-3 broods. 



142. Coot [Fulica, atra atra (Linnaeus)]. Resident. Found 



chiefly on the larger sheets of water ; 

 also on coast in hard weather. 



Bird. Length 15 in. Sexes nearly 

 alike. Recognised by the curious lobed 

 toes (Fig. 86), the white beak and fore- 

 head shield, and the slate-grey plumage 

 relieved only by the white tips to the 

 secondaries. Head and neck nearly black. 

 Legs green. Young birds may be recog- 

 nised by the white on the under-parts. 

 Nest. Usually on lake margins in shallow water among 



reeds and other aquatic plants. A 



bulky structure of aquatic plants. 

 Eggs. Usually 7-9. Greyish to 



clay-yellow speckled all over with 



small purplish-brown or brown- 

 black spots. Av. size, 2-1 x 1*41 in. 



Laying begins March -April or 



later. One, possibly two broods. 



VI. ORDER: GALLIFORMES 



Family: Phasianidce. (a) Sub- 

 family : Tetraoninas Grouse 



143. Capercaillie, capercailzie 

 [Tetrao urogallus urogallus Lin- 

 naeus]. Resident. Breeds in Scot- 

 land. Local movements. 



Bird. Male 35 in., female 25 in., 

 therefore larger than the other grouse (Nos. 144-146). Like 

 them it has the wings short and rounded. The male has 

 the upper-parts freckled grey, except the wing-coverts and 

 scapulars, which are reddish-brown freckled black. Throat 

 feathers long and black. Under-parts blackish with glossy 

 dark green on the breast and white tips to the belly feathers. 

 The much smaller female differs markedly in coloration, which 

 is buff, and mostly rufous-buff on the upper-parts, barred and 

 spotted with black, brown, and white. Conspicuous orange- 

 buff on the throat and breast. The feathers on the lower 

 breast and belly have conspicuous black and white tips. Both 

 sexes have the legs feathered, and a bare red patch or wattle 



Fig. 86. Coot's toes. 



