58 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 
CONTINENTAL Coat-Trrmousr. See COAL-TITMOUSE. 
CONTINENTAL GOLDEN-CRESTED WrEN. See GOLDEN- 
CRESTED WREN. 
CoNTINENTAL GREAT Titmouse. See GREAT TITMOUSE. 
ConTINENTAL HepGE-Sparrow. See HEDGE-SPARROW. 
CONTINENTAL REDBREAST. See REDBREAST. 
ConTINENTAL Sonc-Turusu. See SONG-THRUSH. 
Coo-poo: The COMMON EIDER. (Berwickshire and East 
Lothian.) From its crooning note (Bolam). 
Cooper: The WHEATEAR. (South Pembroke.) 
Cooscot or CoosHout: The RING-DOVE (Craven and Tees- 
dale) ; from A.S. cusccote, a wild pigeon (see Cushat). 
COOT [No. 461]. The name occurs as ‘“Cout” in Turner 
(1544) and as Coot in Merrett (1667). The derivation 
seems to be from the Welsh name Cwta-iar, lit. “‘ short- 
tailed hen,” from its very short tail. Newton observes it 
is in some parts pronounced “Cute” or “Scute,” and 
thinks it is perhaps cognate with Scout or Scoter. Most 
of our eighteenth century writers from Pennant to Montagu 
call it the ““Common Coot.”’ Col. Hawker observes that 
“if a gentleman wishes to have plenty of wild-fowl on his 
pond, let him preserve the Coots, and keep no tame Swans. 
The reason that all wild-fowl seek the company of the Coots 
is because these birds are such good sentries to give the 
alarm by day, when the fowl generally sleep. But the 
Mute Swans will attack every fresh bird that dares to 
appear within reach of them—not so with the ‘ hoopers ’ 
—they are the peaceful monarchs of the lake.” Aecording 
to Thompson the MOORHEN is called Coot in some parts 
of Ireland, where ‘“‘ Bald Coot” is then the distinctive 
appellation of the COOT. Coward and Oldham also give 
Coot as a Cheshire name for the Moorhen. 
Coot-FooTEeD TrRinGA. Edwards’s name for the Phalaropes, the 
GREY PHALAROPE being termed Great Coot-footed 
Tringa and the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE being 
termed Cock Coot-footed Tringa and Red Coot-footed 
Tringa (female). 
Coroc: The HOOPOE; signifying “crested.” (North Wales.) 
CoprpeD WREN: The GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. (Rutty.) 
Copper Fincw: The CHAFFINCH. (Devon. and Cornwall.) 
From the colour of the breast in the male. 
CorrER Heap: The TREE-SPARROW. (Cheshire.) From 
the colour of the cap. 
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