THE AMERICAN COOT. 141 



the Coot. My learned friend Nuttall mentions that a pair had bred 

 in Fresh Pond near Boston, and that he there saw parents and young. 

 Some travelling lumberers assured me that the Coot breeds in numbers in 

 the lakes lying between Mars Hill in Maine and the St. Lawrence river; 

 but I can find no authentic accounts of its nest having been found in any 

 part of the United States, although some probably breed on the borders of 

 our northern lakes. 



In Louisiana, this species is named Poule d'JSait, which is also applied to 

 Rail us crepitans. In all other parts of the Union, it is known by the 

 names of Mud Hen and Coot. The appellation of "Flusterers" given to it 

 by Mr. Lawson in his History of South Carolina, never came to my ear, 

 during my visits to that State. 



These birds are frequently caught in the nets placed across the bayous of 

 the lakes in the neighbourhood of New Orleans, for the purpose of catching 

 Blue-winged Teals and other Ducks. They come against them while flying, 

 but if the hunter is not extremely quick they make their escape by nimbly 

 scrambling up, using their bill and feet until they reach the outer part of the 

 net, when they drop into the water like so many terrapins. At times they 

 congregate in vast numbers, and swim so closely that a hunter in my 

 employ, while on Lake Barataria, killed eighty at a single shot. They are 

 extremely abundant in the New Orleans markets during the latter part of 

 autumn and in winter, when the negroes and the poorer classes purchase 

 them to make "gombo." In preparing them for cooking, they skin them 

 like rabbits instead of plucking them. 



Both old and young birds differ considerably in size and weight. The 

 male, from which I drew the figure in the plate, was procured at General 

 Hernandez's, in East Florida, and was among the best of about thirty shot 

 on one of my excursions there. 



Common Coot, Fulica atra, Wils. Amer. Orn. vol. ix. p. 61. 



Fulica Americana, Bonap. Syn. p. 338. 



Cinereous Coot, Nutt. Man. vol. ii. p. 229. 



American Coot, Fulica Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog-., vol. iii. p. 291; vol. v. p. 568. 



Male, 13|f, 25. 



From Texas to the northern parts of Maine. Exceedingly abundant in 

 Louisiana and the Floridas, during winter and spring, where some remain to 

 breed. The greater number breed in Maine and New Brunswick, as well 

 as along the great lakes. Rare in the Middle Atlantic districts. Columbia 

 river. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the same length as the head, stout, straight, compressed, higher 



Vol. V. 20 



