330 



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eastern Governments ; and ArtzibaschefT says that it is very abundant on some of the lakes of 

 the Sarpa. In the Ural it is said to be rare. In Poland, according to Mr. Taczanowski, it is 

 common, and generally distributed, arriving in March and leaving late in October; and throughout 

 North Germany it is also common. 



In Denmark, Mr. Benzon informs me, the Coot is extremely numerous, and breeds in all 

 suitable localities throughout the country. Although it is much persecuted on account of the 

 injury it is said to do to the Wild-Duck shooting, it does not seem to decrease in numbers. 



It is a summer visitant to Belgium, and breeds numerously in Polders and the marshes of 

 Flanders and the Campine, as also in many parts of Holland. According to MM. Degland and 

 Gerbe it is common in some parts of France, and only met with on passage in others. It breeds 

 in many of the departments in Central, Southern, Eastern, and Northern France. In Portugal 

 it is numerous, as also in Spain, especially in the winter, when it is seen in large flocks. It 

 breeds, Colonel Irby says, at the Laguna de la Janda in April. Lord Lilford writes to me : — 

 "The common Coot abounds in Andalucia, and breeds in the marisma of the Guadalquivir; it 

 is also very common on the Albufera of Valencia. I found it in thousands upon the great 

 lagoons of Sardinia and Corsica, in which localities some remain to breed also ; but the great 

 masses of these birds arrive there at the beginning of winter. I may here mention that the 

 great chasse aux macreuses described by Yarrell as taking place in the etangs of Provence 

 and Corsica refers to this bird, and not, as he supposes, to the Scoter, which is a comparatively 

 rare bird in the Mediterranean ; the mistake is a natural one, as the name macreuse, though 

 properly belonging, and applied in Northern France, to the Scoter, is the only name for the 

 Coot in the south of that country, where this species is not recognized by its proper designation 

 of foulque." 



In Italy, according to Salvadori, it is not very common, and is more numerous in the winter 

 than in the summer. Malherbe writes that it is only tolerably abundant and resident in Sicily, 

 in the Lake of Lentini, the marshes of Catania, the Anapus, the Cyane, near Syracuse, and, 

 indeed, on all the rivers and marshes of that island, where they collect in large flocks in the 

 winter. In Sardinia, Mr. A. B. Brooke writes (Ibis, 1873, p. 336), the Coot is " extremely 

 abundant during winter, going in large flocks of several hundreds on the different lagoons round 

 Cagliari and Oristano. By far the greater number migrate ; but a few remain and breed." In 

 Malta, Mr. Wright says, it is " common in spring and autumn, more particular in the latter 

 season, when it begins to appear about the middle of August, and is seen till November." 

 Lord Lilford writes to me, " it is very common in winter on the lakes of Epirus, in which 

 country I have several times observed the singular manner in which a flock of these birds defend 

 themselves against the White-tailed Eagle. On the appearance over them of one of these birds, 

 they collect in a dense body, and when the Eagle stoops at them they throw up a sheet of water 

 with their feet and completely baffle their enemy ; in one instance, on a small lake near Butrinto, 

 they so drenched the Eagle that it was with difficulty that he reached a tree on the shore, not 

 more than a hundred yards from the spot where he attacked them. They seemed to take very 

 little notice of the Spotted Eagles, Harriers, Buzzards, &c, but on the appearance of Bonelli's 

 Eagle would scatter off to the covert of the reeds with which most of the lakes are thickly 

 fringed. I never, however, observed any bird of prey attack them except the White-tailed 



