FOUND IN NORFOLK. 1 5 



fulicae cottae cootes^ in very great flocks upon the 

 broad waters, upon the appearance of a Kite or buzzard 

 I have seen them vnite from all parts of the shoare in 

 strange numbers when if the Kite stoopes neare them 

 they will fling up [and] spred such a flash of water up 

 with there wings that they will endanger the Kite. & so 

 [es struck out'] keepe him of [in of struck out] agayne 

 & agayne in open opposition. & an handsome prouision 

 they make about their nest agaynst the same bird of 

 praye by bending & twining the rushes & reeds so about 

 them that they cannot stoope at their yong ones or the 

 damme while she setteth. 



Gallinula aquatica^* more hens. 



And a kind of Ralla aquatica or water Rayle. 



case, the quiet and shelter afforded by these extensive preserves being very 

 favourable to the increase of all the members of the Duck family, especially 

 to those breeding in their immediate neighbourhood. In the returns of the 

 old Decoys, Teal figured largely ; in the present day they form a very much 

 smaller proportion of the spoils. 



^ In the present day the Coots have nothing to fear from Kites and 

 little from Moor Buzzards ; it may be that it is in consequence of this that 

 they have discontinued the practice of twining the rushes and reeds above 

 their nests in the manner mentioned above as being an unnecessary pre- 

 caution. I have, however, in some cases noticed some approach to this 

 practice. The Coot, although fairly numerous on the Broads, appears to 

 be far less so than formerly. Lubbock, in his " Fauna of Norfolk," says on 

 asking a Broadman how many Coots there were on Hickling Broad, his 

 reply was, "About an acre and a half," referring to their practice of 

 swimming evenly at regular distances from each other without huddling 

 together in dense masses, like wild-fowl. 



I am indebted to Professor Newton for the following additional note on 

 the Coot. He says "Turner, and after him Gesner, was puzzled as to 

 what was the Fulica of classical writers (Virgil and others), and thought it 

 to be some kind of Gull ; but the Fulica of later authors was certainly 

 the Coot, as shown by Gesner's figure.'' 



^ Moor-hens are of course numerous in all suitable localities, and the 

 Water Rail is still fairly common, but its eggs have a market value and are 

 (or were) sadly stolen ; a few years ago a London dealer is said to have 

 received over 200 eggs of this bird in one season from Yarmouth. 



