1922] GROMME, THE NEW SCHOOL LOAN GROUPS 43 



"Although they seldom dive, coots swim easily, with a peculiar bob- 

 bing motion of the neck and head. They fly well also, although it is 

 necessary for them to patter over the surface ,of the water for a con- 

 siderable distance, using both feet and wings to get tmder way. 



"The nests of dry rushes and other marsh vegetation, are built 

 among the bulrushes or cat-tails of marshy lakes or rivers, usually not 

 far from open water. The eight to fifteen finely speckled eggs are laid 

 in May or June. Although brightly colored when first hatched, the 

 young soon assume a more somber plumage. 



"Coots are classed as game birds and are extensively hunted in the 

 fall of the year, although their flesh is not of the best quality. As a 

 rule they are less shy than ducks, and more easily killed by inexperi- 

 enced gunners. 



"Coots eat a wide variety of food, including grains, seeds, bulbs, 

 snails, insects, tadpoles, and other vegetable and animal matter. 



"They are rather noisy birds, especially when alarmed, their high 

 cackling notes being characteristic sounds of the marshy lakes they 

 frequent. 



"Range : North America. Nests from Alaska, Manitoba and Que- 

 bec to Lower California, Texas and New Jersey. Winters from British 

 Columbia, Utah and the Ohio Valley south to northern South America." 



This work requires a large number of skins to draw from, and since 

 we had little material available for the purpose, it was necessary, at the 

 outset, in the spring of 1922, to collect suitable specimens and acces- 

 sories, together with photographs for backgrounds. 



During March we confined our efforts to obtaining early migrants, 

 especially a few Canada Geese for use in one of the large bird groups. 

 On March 15th we received word from Mr. Ochsner of Prairie du 

 Sac, to come at once, as the migration of geese was at its height. We 

 packed our equipment, including a small outboard boat motor, which 

 later proved to be one of the primary factors contributing to the success 

 of our trip. 



On March 17th, upon arriving at our destination, we were met by 

 Mr. Ochsner, and he very generously put his time and auto at ,our serv- 

 ice. In fact, with very few exceptions, he was out with us every day 

 during our entire stay. For the first week or two we were busy trying 

 to outwit the Geese in the cornfields, and to collect some of the small 

 migrants for the school loan groups. The cornfield problem proved a 

 difificult one, as the movements of the birds were very unreliable — a 

 condition which was brought about by the abundance of ear corn to be 



