BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 137 



quickly, before slipping off into the water or 

 rushes. I have often noticed this bird return to 

 her nest on the wing, poising above it with rapidly 

 beating pinions until she has finally settled down 

 over her eggs. The downy black chicks take to 

 the water at once, where they swim and dive 

 almost as well as their parents. 



In very similar situations to those frequented 

 by the Moorhen we may also find the COOT widely but 

 (Fulua atra\ a much bigger and darker-looking SSbSSd 7 

 bird, with a very conspicuous white frontal shield, preceding 

 Its habits are much the same as those of the sp 

 preceding species, and it makes a similar nest ; 

 but the eggs, from six to twelve, are very pale 

 buff in ground colour, speckled and dusted with 

 dark blackish brown and gray. The Coot feeds 

 much on grass, and may often be seen in the 

 meadows near its watery haunts grazing just like 

 a Goose. Like the Moorhen this bird is an 

 accomplished swimmer and diver, but its feet 

 are lobed. In autumn and winter Coots often 

 assemble into large flocks, congregating in certain 

 favoured spots near the low-lying eastern coasts, 

 on the Broads ; but it is probable that many of 

 these birds are migrants. The Coot is also more 

 of a marine bird in winter than the Moorhen, and 

 at all times is more of a feeder on fish than that 

 species. Its loud clear note of Ko oft repeated 

 is very characteristic. 



From the Moorhen and the Coot it is an easy 

 step to the Grebes. Two species of these birds 

 breed in our islands, but by far the commoner 

 and more widely distributed is the LITTLE GREBE widely 



T . r , i r distributed. 



(Podiceps minor]. It is found on many sheets ot 



