AMERICAN COOT MUD-HEN, HELL-DIVER. 195 



strued into exclamations of content and satisfaction 

 with themselves. 



When a boat is seen approaching them, or a hunter 

 is noticed on the shore, or comes through the rice-stalks, 

 making a loud, rattling crashing sound, they compress 

 their dark bodies to the earth, and slide and glide from 

 off their pleasant dozing places through the rushes, 

 and skulk along until they reach a place deep enough 

 to swim ; then they all head for the deep and open water, 

 and swim in dense bodies, until they think they have 

 reached a place of safety. If the young hunter wants 

 to hear the report of his gun, and see the shot splash in 

 the water, he can now do so, they wont fly, but will 

 just keep out of range. Mallards and other ducks 

 appear to look on them with contempt, and do not seek 

 their company. This is no cause of offense to the mud- 

 hen, and they go where they please in perfect indiffer- 

 ence as to whether or not they are welcome. When, 

 forced to fly they present a very pretty target as they 

 go past. Their flight being regular, steady and about 

 the swiftness of a mallard. As they arise from the 

 water they present a ludicrous appearance. It takes' 

 them a long time to get under headway. They start, the 

 tips of their wings beating the water, instantaneously 

 their feet get in motion, and off they go. First their 

 wings avoid hitting the surface, then, for perhaps 30 or 

 40 yards, their feet kick the water behind them, present- 

 ing to the eye of the observer miniature waves and tiny 

 billows of sparkling white-caps, which soon disappear 

 and dissolve, commingling with the body of the lake. 

 Do not allow them around your decoys, they will keep 

 ducks away ; but drive them out by showing yourself, 

 or occasionally shooting at them. 



