CINEREOUS COOT. 123 



history is so beautifully detailed in the works of 

 Buffon. 



In its native haunts, it is vigilant and shy; and it 

 is not easy to spring it, without the assistance of a dog. 



Length, from the tip of the hill to the end of the 

 tail, fourteen inches ; bill, an inch and a quarter long, 

 vermilion, greenish yellow at the tip ; irides, pale 

 cornelian; naked crown, dull azure; head, part of the 

 neck, throat, and breast, of a rich violet purple ; back 

 and scapulars, olive green ; rump, tail, and its coverts, 

 brownish green ; sides of the neck, and wings, ultra- 

 marine, the latter tinged with green; shoulders of 

 wings, rich azure ; inner webs of the quills and tail- 

 feathers, dusky brown ; belly and thighs, dull purplish 

 black; vent, pure \vhite; tail, rounded; legs and feet, 

 greenish yellow ; claws, long, sharp, and of a pale flesh 

 colour; span of the foot, five inches. 



GENUS LVI. FULICA, LINN^US. 



240. FULICA AXERICJLXA, GMELIN. FULICA ATBJ, WILSON. 



CINEREOUS COOT. * 

 WILSON, PLATE LXXIII. FIG. I. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THIS species makes its appearance in Pennsylvania 

 about the first of October. Among the muddy flats 

 and islands of the river Delaware, which are periodically 

 overflowed, and which are overgrown with the reed or 

 wild oats, and rushes, the coots are found. They are 

 not numerous, and are seldom seen, except their places 

 of resort be covered with water j in that case they are 

 generally found sitting on the fallen reed, waiting for 

 the ebbing of the tide, which will enable them to feed. 

 Their food consists of various aquatic plants, seeds, 

 insects, and, it is said, small fish. The coot has an 

 aversion to take wing, and can seldom be sprung in its 

 retreat at low water: for, although it walks rather 



* Named in the plate, Common Coot. The description of the 

 bird is written by Mr Ord. 



