V. 



FULICA ATRA. (linn.) 



Coot, Bald Coot. 



The Bald Coot breeds in most parts of England, upon the 

 margins of lakes, ponds, and rivers, usually towards the latter 

 end of May or beginning of June, though at this time I have 

 seen young ones in the water, which leave the nest soon after 

 they are hatched. 



Through the kindness of the Rev. R. H. Brandling, of 

 Gosforth, on whose property they breed in abundance, I 

 have had an opportunity of examining many of their nests. 

 They are large, and apparently clumsy at first sight, but are 

 amazingly strong and compact ; they are sometimes built on 

 a tuft of rushes, but more commonly amongst reeds ; some 

 are supported by those that lie prostrate on the water, whilst 

 others have their foundations at its bottom, and are raised 

 till they become from six to twelve inches above its surface, 

 sometimes in a depth of one and a half or two feet. So firm 

 are some of them, that, whilst up to the knees in water, they 

 afforded me a seat sufficiently strong to support my weight. 

 They are composed of flags and broken reeds, finer towards 

 the inside, and contain from seven to ten eggs. 



That the nest may rise two or three inches with the rising 

 of the water from a flood, is quite probable, from the elasti- 

 city of the reeds to which it is attached. Bewick relates the 

 following curious anecdote : — " A Bald Coot built her nest 

 in Sir William Middleton's lake, at Belsay, Northumberland, 

 among the rushes, which were afterwards loosened by the 

 wind, and of course the nest was driven about and floated 

 upon the surface of the water in every direction ; notwith- 

 standing which, the female contrived to sit as usual, and 

 brought out her young upon her moveable habitation."" 



