268 , BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xin. 



the wing and moving somewhere. After a good brisk gale 

 from the west, they sometimes pass Cromer and Runton at 

 the rate of three flocks in two minutes. 



Glaucous Gull {Larus hyperboreus) . 



October 14th. — One seen by the Duchess of Bedford, and 

 six more reported to Mr. Borrer at the end of the month, all 

 in the vicinity of the East Bar and adjoining harbour. On 

 November 12th Mr. Pinchen saw three, perhaps the same. 



PoMATORHiNE Skua {Stercorarius pomarinus). 



Two in immature plumage were received by Mr. Pashley 

 on October 27th, and on the 29th a very fine adult was rather 

 needlessl}^ killed whilst standing on one leg on Wells salt- 

 marsh, where I am informed by Mr. Goldie, it was trying 

 ineffectually to gulp down a gar-fish, eleven inches long. The 

 tail of the fish was still protruding when a man came on the 

 scene and shot the Skua, which proved to be in a tarred and 

 dirty condition, and as usual the two central tail-feathers 

 were broken. The gar-fish was sent to the Museum, and its 

 measurement confirmed. 



Coot {Fulica atra). 



February 24th. — Four hundred and thirty-two shot at a 

 Coot -battue on the Broads, where, after being skinned, they 

 are in request for eating. The Coot being much less active 

 under water than the Grebe, is far more of a vegetarian than 

 a fish-eater. It likes the succulent reeds, and again and again 

 may be seen swimming about with pieces in its beak, which 

 have been pulled up from far below the surface. Some of 

 the reeds are eaten, others played with for a time and dropped, 

 and remain floating. It is not the nature of the Coot to 

 swallow the pieces under water ; it prefers bringing them to 

 the surface to be masticated, and consumed at leisure. In 

 Switzerland Mr. Richard has observed that they are partial 

 to Elodea canadensis, Potamotus perfoliatus, P. crispus and 

 Najas major. The stems of these species, he remarks, which 

 have been torn up by the Coots, float adrift according to the 

 wind, and sometimes accumulate in large parcels on the 

 margin of a lake.* Although the Coot is hardly quick enough 

 to catch a fish, it no doubt eats spawn, but is said to be less 

 destructive than the Wild Duck, and far less than the Mute 

 Swan. 



* Nos Oiseaux, 191 9, p. 246. 



J 



