i 7 8 



Though not usually esteemed of much value as 

 an article of food both the Moorhen and its neigh- 

 bour the Coot are in my humble opinion equal in 

 flavour when properly dressed to any bird that is 

 found in the British Islands. Cooks, who are 

 aware of the trouble of plucking them, are sure to 

 declare they require to be flayed and then steeped 

 in water, or possibly even perpetrate some such 

 enormity as burying them in a cloth for several 

 hours. Let them however simply be treated as 

 Wild Duck or Teal, and I am almost certain that 

 even the most fastidious epicure will be desirous of 

 repeating the experiment. As a cook is the last 

 person in an establishment that I should wish to 

 be on bad terms with, I always, when shooting 

 these birds, order the men to pluck those that are 

 intended for home use as soon as they are collected. 

 While warm the feathers and down may be stripped 

 from them with but little exertion, though, should 

 they once get cold and set, it will require nearly an 

 hour's scrubbing with resin to remove the tenacious 

 black down from the breast and back of a single 

 Coot. 



The specimens in the case were obtained on 

 Loch Slyn near Tain in Koss-shire in May, 1869. 



GREAT CRESTED GREBE. (WINTER). 

 Case 261. 



It is seldom during the winter months that I 

 have observed these birds frequenting their summer 

 haunts. As a rule they are found on tidal waters ; 

 one or two however occasionally return to their old 

 quarters, and having settled on the ice experience 

 considerable difficulty in getting on wing again. 



The specimens in the case were killed at sea 

 between Shoreham and Lancing ; one in December 

 1879, the other in February, 1881. 



See " Eough Notes," Vol. II., Plate 20. 



