The American Coot 



Taken near Santa Barbara 



Photo by the Author 



THE BATHING BEACH 



promised. In winter, therefore, they gather in considerable numbers at 

 the sewer outlets which disgrace some of our coastal cities and defile 

 alleged bathing beaches. 



As a pleasant offset to these offensive recollections, is the sight of a 

 flock of mud-hens foraging on shore. At Stow Lake, for example, in 

 Golden Gate Park, the festive Coots swarm over the banks in search of 

 grass, which they pluck after the fashion of geese. The keepers have in 

 many instances lined the shore with brush to keep the birds off the tender 

 herbage; but where they cannot crawl, the birds will fly, so that such 

 protection is practically worthless. It is a pretty sight to see, as we did 

 one day, a flock of forty mud-hens feeding industriously on a sloping 

 greensward, while a dozen California Quails darted about amongst them, 

 like children at a picnic. 



Wherever absolute protection is afforded, the mud-hens will become 

 as tame as chickens. Feeding the mud-hens, then, is a favorite afternoon 

 pastime at Stow Lake. Some of the "mob" photographs shown here- 

 with are evidence of the author's weakness in this direction. I found the 

 birds very active, and nimble to a fault in securing my offerings of crumbs. 

 In fact, although I was very anxious to encourage the ducks, not one crumb 

 in ten, however skillfully thrown before some expectant Mallard or Pintail, 

 but was snapped up by the agile Coot. While the duck was making up his 

 mind that that white something on the water might be edible, the Coot 

 behind him had risen, shot over the water, snapped up the morsel and 

 off again with vibrating head — vibrating so that none might snatch it 

 from his beak before he had time to down it. So intent did the Coots 



1562 



