264 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



If we could examine the two birds closely, we should find that 

 there is another very well-marked difference between them. The 

 moor-hen, although it can swim well, has its toes quite simple, hke 

 those of a wading bird, and not joined together by webbing. The 

 coot, however, although its toes are not exactly joined, has a broad 

 web upon each, which spreads out when the bird is in the water, 

 and so converts the foot, as it were, into a broad and powerful 

 paddle. 



It is not very easy to watch the habits of the coot, for it is a shy 

 bird. If it is alarmed it either dives beneath the surface and dis- 

 appears, or swims into a bed of reeds, and defies all attempts to 

 dislodge it. Even a clever water-dog is often bafHed by a coot, 

 which in some mysterious way hides itself so well that a dog is 

 quite unable to find it. 



The nest of the coot is a very curious structure. It is made of 

 reeds and rushes in the form of a broad, almost circular pillar, the 

 eggs being placed in a slight hollow upon the top. It is easily 

 seen, for it stands well out of the water, and is usually placed 

 at some little distance from the bank, generally, but not always, 

 among low reeds or other water herbage. 



It is said that the bird always seems to know when a flood is 

 coming, and carefully raises the level of its nest so that the water 

 may not injure the eggs. But it sometimes happens that the rush 

 of water is stronger than it expects — so strong, indeed, as to wash 

 the nest from its moorings, and carry it floating away. When such 

 an accident happens, however, the bird is said to remain quietly 

 sitting upon its eggs until the nest is stranded, when it fastens it 

 down in its new situation. 



Although coots are not quarrelsome birds as a rule, they will 

 fight fiercely at times, and drive away birds much larger and 

 stronger than themselves. A few years ago a curious combat was 

 witnessed between a pair of coots and a swan. The coots had been 

 laying the foundations of their nest, and were just beginning to 

 build the structure, when the swan trampled down all their careful 

 work, and began to make her own nest in the same spot. Early 

 next morning the coots began their task over again, and again the 

 swan came and destroyed the results of their labours. Suddenly, 



