COOT SHOOTING. 255 



A wounded coot will also make a last effort to escape, when in the 

 hands of the fowler, by scratching 1 his hands, and burying its sharp 

 talons in his flesh. The young- fowler will do well to be cautious 

 in handling- live coots : no water-fowl is more tenacious of life, nor 

 more vigilant and cunning in its habits. 



I have found the best means of approaching a covert of coots is 

 by a sailing-punt : they require hard hitting, and the sportsman must 

 not expect to recover many unless he kills them. If there be any 

 way of eluding his grasp, a wounded coot will assuredly embrace it. 

 As soon as possible after firing the punt-gun, and before attempting 

 to pick up a bird, the sportsman should seize his double-barrelled 

 shoulder-gun, and give the coup de grace to two of the strongest of 

 his wounded victims just as they are making off. 



It is easy to distinguish coots from other wild-fowl when on the 

 water, though at a considerable distance, from the different position 

 in which they sit to most other wild-fowl. The coot carries its head 

 low, and thrown forward in a poking attitude, with tail sticking high 

 above its body ; and, as before observed, they sit scattered widely 

 over a large space of water rather than in close compact, as other birds. 

 They have a great enemy in the moor buzzard or marsh-harrier ; but 

 when attacked or threatened by that carnivorous enemy, they exhibit 

 admirable discipline, and, just as if taught and trained to military tac- 

 tics in an instant, on a given signal from the sentinel on duty, they 

 close up the ranks, and huddle together, forming a solid mass which 

 would seem to defy the daring of the most ferocious hawk. When so 

 ranged in a dense body, the buzzard seldom ventures to attack ; if 

 he does, or continues hovering' about them, they swim rapidly round 

 and round in a circle, fluttering their pinions, dashing and flapping 1 

 the water with their wings, and throwing up clouds of spray, by which 

 means they dazzle the sight of their enemy, and altogether present 

 so threatening an aspect, that the buzzard decamps and watches his 

 more favourable opportunity of pouncing upon one of a small party 

 of stragglers ; off which, if his attack be successful, he makes a 

 hearty meal the raw flesh of the coot being one of his most delicious 

 morsels. 



Pliny speaks of these scufflings between the hawk and water-fowl 

 as a very amusing sport to behold. " Spectanda dimicatio, ave ad 

 perfugia litorum tendente, maxume si condensa harundo sit.* 



* Pliny, lib. x. cap 3. 



