COMMON COOT. 177 



dry, and good for nothing. A Coot shot in the morning, 

 just after roosting, is worth three killed in the day when full 

 of grass, because he will then be whiter, and milder in 

 flavour. A Poole man is very particular about this, as the 

 sale of his Coots much depends on it." 



Coots have a very powerful flight when once on the wing, 

 and fly with their legs stretched out behind, acting the part 

 of a tail, in the manner of a Heron. 



The beak is of a pale rose-red, or flesh colour ; the patch 

 on the forehead naked, and pure white ; hence the name of 

 Bald Coot*; the irides crimson ; below the eye a small half- 

 circular streak of white ; the whole of the plumage above 

 and below sooty black, tinged with dark slate-grey ; the head 

 rather darker than the body ; primaries nearly pure black ; 

 secondaries tipped with white, forming a line or narrow bar 

 across the wing; legs, toes, and membranes, dark green, 

 the garter above the tarsal joint orange. 



The whole length is eighteen inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the wing, about eight inches. 



The adult bird, from its more decided dark colour, was 

 formerly considered distinct, and called F. aterrima by 

 Linnaeus ; but we have only one species. The young birds 

 of the year are smaller than the parent, the naked frontal 

 patch is also smaller, the throat is nearly white, and the 

 under parts of the plumage are of a lighter grey. Young 

 chicks on emerging from the egg-shell are covered with 

 black down, with some lighter-coloured filaments about the 

 upper parts. 



Varieties entirely white, and others only partially white, 

 have occurred in Norfolk and Lincolnshire, and on the 

 Continent. 



* Thus Drayton in his 'Poly-olbion,' 25th Song : 



" The Coot, bald, else clean black, that whitenesse it doth beare 

 Upon the forehead starr'd, the Water-hen doth wear 

 Upon her little tayle, in one small feather set. " 



VOL. III. A A 



