WAYSIDE NOTES FROM SWITZERLAND. 49 



Martin, Chelidon urbiea. — Began to congregate about the 25th 

 August, and I did not see any after the middle of September. 



Sand Martin, Cotyle riparia. — About the 15th August a large 

 number of these birds arrived at Baden, and remained hawking 

 up and down the river for three or four days and then dis- 

 appeared. 



Swift, Cypselus apiis. — All left about the middle of August'; 

 there were plenty of them about the old tower and the church- 

 steeple, but I could not detect alpinus amongst them. At Berne 

 this latter species predominates, and it is a pretty sight to 

 watch them gyrating and screaming round the tower of the 

 Cathedral. I noticed one as late as September 22nd. 



Coot, FuUca atra. — Amongst the many interesting sights at 

 Lucerne are the Coots on the lake. When I first visited Lucerne 

 this bird chiefly frequented the neighbourhood of the old covered 

 bridge, and, above and below it, I one day counted fifty. Last 

 year I could only find thirty. They had changed their locality, 

 and were to be found chiefly near the new bridge and by the 

 landing-places of the steamers, always on the look out, and 

 sharing with the half-tamed wild ducks, the bread, &c., thrown 

 to them by the passers by. They feed much on a water-plant 

 which grows plentifully at the bottom of the lake, particularly 

 where the rapid stream commences ; it looks very like the 

 American weed which has so encumbered our canals and 

 rivers. It is amusing to watch them when thus feeding. 

 Some of the old male birds, too lazy to dive for their own dinner, 

 watch the younger ones busy at the bottom, and the moment 

 they rise to the surface, with a beak full of the weed, give chase, 

 and, like the Skua amongst the Gulls, seize the coveted morsel, 

 which the fugitive is obliged to relinquish. Whilst watching 

 them I saw one of these birds seize a Bleak and eat it. It 

 happened thus : there was a great scamper amongst a large 

 shoal of Bleak, arising from the dash of a Pike or Trout, and 

 one appeared to be injured, and kept jumping out of the water. 

 A Coot immediately rushed at it, seized and in a few moments 

 swallowed it. In the fourth edition of Yarrell, we read, "if 

 deprived of water, it (the Coot) will roost, as other Jand birds, 

 upon any elevated situation." My hotel being close to[the bridge 

 at Lucerne, I went out every night between 10 and 11 p.m. to 

 see the Coots. I found them all arranged along the beams which 



