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Eagle and Peregrine Falcon, which latter would occasionally cut one down as they flew over the 

 land. The Coot has of late years become very common upon the Nene, in Northamptonshire, 

 where it was formerly rare." In Greece it winters in vast numbers, and is said to be especially 

 numerous in the Bay of Missolonghi and on the lakes of Vrachori. Probably a few remain to 

 breed there ; but Dr. Kriiper did not succeed in finding its nest. 



In Southern Germany it is very generally distributed, and common in most localities. 

 Dr. Fritsch says that in 1857 as many as 5162 Coots were shot in Bohemia. It is a migrant in 

 most parts, passing south to winter. I find but few details respecting its presence in the Black 

 Sea and Turkey, where it is said to be by no means uncommon ; it is also pretty generally 

 distributed in Asia Minor, where it breeds ; for Von Gonzenbach obtained its eggs near Smyrna. 

 In Palestine, Canon Tristram says, it is common and resident, and it is generally distributed 

 throughout North Africa. Captain Shelley says that it is met with in all suitable localities in 

 Egypt and Nubia; and Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., remarks that at Lake Menzaleh he saw such 

 multitudes as he could not have believed possible. Vierthaler states that he noticed it on the 

 Blue Nile ; and Dr. A. E. Brehm shot one there on the 30th November. It is found in wet 

 localities throughout North-west Africa. Mr. Salvin writes that it is common at Zana, Djendeli, 

 and Bizerta, in none of which places did he observe the Crested Coot ; and, according to Canon 

 Tristram, it frequents the vicinity of Tuggurt. Near Tangier, Favier says {fide Colonel Irby), it 

 is resident, but not very numerous, often consorting with Fulica cristata. Some are migratory, 

 passing northwards in January and February, and returning in August and September ; and 

 Colonel Irby himself found it abundant near Tetuan in March. 



It inhabits the Azores, Madeira, and the Canaries. Mr. Godman states that it is to be 

 met with in St. Michael's, on the Lagoa do Fogo, and adds that he believes they were originally 

 introduced into the islands. In the Canaries, according to Dr. C. Bolle, it appears every winter, 

 and is by no means uncommon at Teneriffe, Canaria, and Fuerteventura ; and when touching at 

 Madeira, in October, he saw one offered for sale by a lad who had caught it with the hand. 

 On the mainland of Africa the Coot ranges, according to Lichtenstein, down to Senegambia and 

 the Cape of Good Hope ; but though it may possibly straggle as far south as the former locality, 

 I scarcely think that it can ever have been obtained in the Cape colony, where it appears to be 

 entirely replaced by Fulica cristata. ' 



In Asia the Coot is found right across the continent. It inhabits suitable localities near 

 the Caspian, in Persia, and throughout India. In Sindh it is very numerous; for Mr. A. O. 

 Hume writes (Stray Feathers, i. p. 249) : — " On the Muncher lake I believe they would have to 

 be counted not by thousands but by hundreds of thousands ; a square mile of water may be seen 

 perfectly black with waterfowl ; and although ducks of various descriptions do seem innumerable, 

 they form scarcely one tenth of the floating herd, the great bulk of which consists of Coots. 

 When a shot is fired near to them and they rise, the noise of their wings, and of their feet 

 striking the water, is like the roar of the sea upon a shingly beach. You can shoot nothing 

 without knocking over some of these wretched Coots. During the day I was at the Muncher 

 lake, I never once fired at one, and yet I daily killed between twenty and thirty accidentally in 

 shooting at ducks. In no part of the world have I ever seen such incredible multitudes of 

 Coots as are met with in Sindh ; in the Muncher lake far excellence, but also in many others of 



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