THE LIMP KIN. 589 



the tip and red at the base, the latter hue being brightest at the breeding season. The legs 

 and toes are green, and the naked part of the thigh is red. The female has not so much of 

 the olive as her mate. 



The Common Coot, or Bald Coot, as it is sometimes called, is another of the water- 

 birds, being seen chiefly in lakes, large ponds, and the quiet banks of wide rivers. 



The habits of the Coot much resemble those of the water hen, and it feeds after a similar 

 fashion upon mollusks, insects, and similar creatures, which it finds either in the water or 

 upon land. It is an admirable swimmer, swift and strong, and cau grasp the branches firmly 

 when perching, owing to the contraction of the foot, which is furnished with a wide flattened 

 membrane on the edges of each toe, thus presenting a broad surface to the water, and, at the 

 same time, permitting the foot to be used in grasping. The Coot may be seen either swim- 

 ming or traversing the floating weeds in search of food, or wandering over the fields with quick 

 but rather eccentric gait, pecking here and there at the herbage, and devouring a great quan- 

 tity of destructive insects, snails, and slugs. When a very severe winter has frozen the ponds 

 and lakes, the Coot will make off to the nearest coast, and along its unlocked shores obtain a 

 living until the warm breezes of sj^ring have loosened the icy body of its more congenial haunts. 



The nest of the Coot is a huge edifice of reeds and rank-water herbage, sometimes placed 

 at the edge of the water, and sometimes on little islands at some distance from shore. I have 

 often been obliged to wade for thirty or forty yards to these nests, which have been founded 

 upon the tops of little hillocks almost covered with water. The whole nest is strongly though 

 rudely made ; and if the water should suddenly rise and set the nest floating, the Coot is very 

 little troubled at the change, but sits quietly on her eggs waiting for the nest to be stranded. 

 Several instances are known where the nest and bird have been swept into a rapid current, and 

 carried to a considerable distance. The eggs are generally about eight or ten in number, and 

 their color is olive-white sprinkled profusely with brown. The shell is rather thick in propor- 

 tion to the size of the egg, so that Coots 1 eggs can be carried away in a handkerchief without 

 much danger of being broken. 



The head and neck of the Coot are grayish-black, the upper parts are deep blue-black, and 

 the under parts are blackish-gray with a tinge of blue. The bill is rather pale orange-red, and 

 the horny plate on the forehead is rosy-red in the breeding season, fading into white at other 

 times of the year, from which circumstance the Coot derives its sobriquet of "bald." The 

 legs are yellow-green, the naked part of the thigh orange-red, and the eye bright red. The 

 length of the Coot is about seventeen or eighteen inches. 



The American Coot {Fulica americana) is more particularly a southern bird. It is 

 quite unique, having lobed feet, like the grebes, yet in other respects resembling the hen, or 

 gallinaceous family. It is yet more singular in being the only species known in America. 



The Limpkin (Aramus pictus). This is quite as singular and unique as the preceding, 

 and is probably more unfamiliar than any other known American bird. It stands quite by 

 itself in classification. At first sight it might be taken for a curlew, particularly as its 

 plumage is like the yearlings of that group. The long bill and legs, and long neck quite recall 

 the curlews. It is, however, allied to the rails. The editor of this edition has seen this 

 bird on the Florida Reef, where it is called "Water Turkey. It is esteemed as a table delicacy 

 in that region. Though ungainly in aspect and movements, it alights preferably on trees. 



<§n^i§!KN#^^ 



