THE COOT. 309 



the pressure of the Pheasant standing on the rail in front of 

 the box. A Water-Hen, observing this, went and stood upon 

 the rail as soon as the Pheasant had quitted it ; but the weight 

 of the bird being insufficient to raise the lid of the box, so as 

 to enable it to get at the corn, the Water-Hen kept jumping 

 on the rail, to give additional impetus to its weight ; this 

 partially succeeded, but not to the satisfaction of the saga- 

 cious bird. Accordingly it went off, and soon returning with 

 another bird of its own species, the united weight of the two 

 had the desired effect, and the successful pair enjoyed the 

 benefit of their ingenuity. We can vouch for the truth of this 

 singular instance of penetration, on the authority of the owner 

 of the place where it occurred, and who witnessed the fact. 



Nearly allied to the Water-Hen is the well-known family 

 of Coots ; they, too, build a simple rushy nest, but with this 

 difference, that instead of seeking to raise it above the 

 water, they seem to prefer its floating upon the very surface ; 

 where, of course, it is exposed to the double danger of being 

 carried hither and thither, according as the wind blows ; or, 

 if interwoven with reeds or bushes close to the water, of 

 being covered, should the waters be raised by floods. But 

 the Coot is apparently well aware of these possibilities, and 

 accordingly guards against them : preventing the nests being 

 carried away by ingeniously fastening the materials of which 

 they are made to the rushes or osiers near them ; but at the 

 same time these fastenings are of such a nature as to allow 

 of the nests rising with the water, so that no ordinary flood 

 would expose them to the danger of immersion. The Coot, 

 like the Water-Hen, covers her nest, and if not so effectually, 

 yet with a most extraordinary rapidity. We have repeatedly 

 watched a Coot quietly sitting on her nest; if the boat 

 approaches, she rises, and immediately begins pecking away, 

 right and left, which she continues to do till the enemy is so 

 near, that she is compelled to decamp for her own preserva- 

 tion. In this short time, however, she almost always contrives 

 to cover her eggs ; and though the nest itself remains a very 

 conspicuous object, a careless observer might pass it as 

 - deserted and empty. 



