The American Coot 



there is undoubtedly a 

 close affinity both in 

 structure and in habit 

 between them. We 

 should doubtless have 

 clearer insight into the 

 phylogenetic history of 

 the Coot, if we were 

 able to interpret the 

 meaning of the chick's 

 downy plumage. As is 

 well known, the young 

 of any animal repeats 

 in the successive stages 

 of its growth the devel- 

 opmental history of its 

 race. Bearing this fact 

 in mind, a brief descrip- 

 tion of a baby Coot 

 will not be without in- 

 terest: General color 

 black, the down of body 

 plumage everywhere in- 

 terspersed with longer 

 hair-like feathers, the terminal or exposed portion of these pale 

 orange on upperparts, intensifying to bright orange-red around chin, 

 sides of face, and back of head, forming together with their black 

 bases, now exposed, an absurd tonsure; short feathers of lores and 

 ring of minute feathers about eyes still redder orange; top of head bare, 

 forehead, except central line and space over eyes, livid purple, changing 

 on crown to pale red ; bald area modified by tiny rows of starting feathers; 

 bill black at tip with a speck of white on top, thence to base passing 

 through four shades of red, pale vermilion or saturn red, coral, light 

 maroon, and purplish maroon ; underparts modified to dull gray by whitish 

 tips of projecting hairs; feet bluish gray. Surely the remote ancestors 

 of the now plebeian Coots must have been gay birds! 



"Could anything exceed the selfishness of a young Coot? Here is 

 one, the eldest of a prospective family of seven. He has been hatched at 

 least a minute and a half, possibly two minutes. When the enemy appears 

 he has a clear perception of the danger, but instead of waiting to warn 

 or defend his brethren in ovo, he promptly scrambles over the side of the 

 nest and paddles off to safety. Heartless infant!" 



15^5 



Taken in Washington 



A HATFUL OF SPECKLED EGGS 



Pholo by the A uthor 



