YELLOW-BILLED COOT 171 



largest numbers. The colour of the beak and shield 

 is of a very delicate yellow ; the legs and feet dull 

 green j the head^ neck, and part of the back velvet- 

 black ; all the rest of the plumage dark slate-colour, 

 except the under-coverts of the tail, which are white 

 and render the bird very conspicuous when it is 

 swimming away with the tail raised vertically. 



On the pampas, in large marshy lagoons, this 

 Coot is sometimes seen in immense numbers ; 

 thousands of birds uniting in one flock, and spreading 

 over the low shores to feed, they look like a great 

 concourse of Rooks. But they are exceedingly timid, 

 and at the sight of a bird of prey or other enemy they 

 all scuttle back to the water, tumbling over each 

 other in their haste to reach it. They rise in a peculiar 

 manner, rapidly striking the surface of the water 

 with their great lobed feet, often for a distance of 

 twenty or thirty yards before they are fully launched 

 in the air. They are loquacious birds, and when 

 swimming about concealed among the thick rushes 

 are heard answering each other in a variety of curious 

 tones, some of their loud, hollow-sounding, reiterated 

 cries resembling peals of laughter. 



The nest is a slovenly structure of rushes lying 

 on the water, with a very slight depression for the 

 eggs, which are ten or twelve in number. These are 

 long, pointed at one end, dull cream-colour, marked 

 over the whole surface with small blackish and purple 

 spots. 



There are two other species of Coots in Argentina : 

 the Red-gartered Coot, F. armillata, the largest 



