COOT— GREAT BUSTARD 99 



dives with remarkable ease. The toes are very long 

 and slender. On account of its shy and retiring 

 habits, this bird is rarely seen, even in localities where 

 it is quite common. See Plate 29, Fig. 163. 



The Coot and the Water Hen, or Common Gal- 

 linule, of Europe are also admirable divers. The toes 

 of the Coot are provided with broad lobes along their 

 sides. 



The Moor Hen may be distinguished from the 

 Coot not only by its smaller size, but also by the bright 

 vermilion-red shield on the forehead and the white 

 patches under the tail. Though an extremely timid 

 bird in a wild state, it thrives well in captivity and is 

 often seen in public collections. See Plate 29, Fig. 

 165. 



The Coot is a larger bird than the Water Hen, or 

 Gallinule, and is easily distinguished from it by the 

 broad white bill. The European Coot has no white 

 below the tail, and is also without the white markings 

 on the wings that characterise the American species. 

 Although very shy birds naturally, it is said that in 

 certain localities in Florida where shooting is forbid- 

 den they are as tame as domestic Ducks. Young 

 Coots, while still in the nestling plumage, have the 

 head ornamented by numerous little fleshy warts of a 

 bright red colour, while the rest of the body, as in the 

 young of the Rail tribe generally, is jet black in 

 colour. See Plate 29, Fig. 167. 



The Little Bustard is common in certain parts of 

 Europe, especially in the Spanish peninsula. It is 

 abundant in Africa, north of the Sahara, also in north- 

 western India. See Plate 29, Fig. 162. 



