BRITISH BIRDS. 167 



base of bill red, tip yellow. Length i2'5o. Young : bill 

 and frontal plate greenish ; throat whitish. 



Familiar and abundant on ponds, rivers and ditches. 



GENUS CXLVIII. FULICA, Brisson (1760), 



Much like Gallinula, but membrane bordering toes is 

 widened and scalloped, forming a series of lobes. 



266. Fuliea atra, Linn. COOT. 



Hab. Europe and temperate Asia. 



Adult : above dusky-slate, with a white bar across 

 wing ; below dull black ; frontal plate white ; bill 

 pinkish-white ; iris deep red ; feet dark green. Length 

 16*50. Young : duller ; throat whitish. 



A fairly common resident, frequenting lakes, rivers 

 and large ponds. Nest is a mass of sedges, flags, 

 etc., supported by a bunch of reeds or rushes growing 

 in the water. Eggs : 7 or 8 ; pale buff, sparingly 

 marked with minute spots of dark brown ; i '95 by 

 1-50. 



ORDER AIitSCTORXXIES. 



Family G-ruidae. 



GENUS CXLIX. GRUS, Beohstain (1793}. 



267. Grus grus (Linn.). CRANE. 



Hab. Palasarctic region. In winter southward to 

 Africa and India. 



Chiefly occurring now as a straggler on migration in 

 the Orkneys and Shetlands, but very rarely found in 

 England. About six have been shot in Ireland. 



