THE HAUNT OF THE COOT 183 



fire removes the sheltering Rushes and the ice makes 

 all places easy of access that the habitations of the 

 previous summer are disclosed. The nests are large 

 and loosely woven in the half-solid banks of Rushes. 

 They show where families have been reared in easy 

 disregard of passing boats on the open water and 

 pedestrians on the solid ground. 



The hiders are generally noisy, and their uproar 

 seems more in derision than alarm when curious eyes 

 seek in vain for the source of their varied clucks, calls, 

 and chatters. Coots make a good appearance in the 

 open water, where they move with heads elevated 

 after the manner of the Grebes. As their long toes 

 are equipped with scalloped lobes, they are good 

 swimmers, and they can also dive well if pursued 

 where no friendly sheltering Rushes are available. 

 They fly only when obliged to, but after the first 

 trailing efforts they make good speed. In steady flight 

 their stroke and outline suggest the Duck, but their 

 long legs cannot be gathered up out of sight. Against 

 the dark-green background of the Rushes or out over 

 the open water their dark slaty plumage seems black 

 as night, but strong sunlight brings out the lighter 

 shades. The Coots seem quite reasonable in their 

 migrations, following the opening season northward 

 and nesting freely throughout their range. There is 

 no eager quest of the arctic or the far south. They 

 locate on the marshes and sloughs, where shelter is 



