MOOB^HEN — COOT. 217 



Some dark, sooty Gallinules, known by cleft feet, 

 Were there, too, the Aquiline Monarch to greet. 



America, and also this country. Fourteen inches long. Flies 

 with difficulty, but runs and swims well; builds near the water 

 side, on low trees or shrubs ; strikes with its bill like a hen ; 

 eggs dirty whitish, spotted with rust-colour, from six to ten in 

 number, which it lays twice or thrice a year. Time of incuba- 

 tion three weeks ; the young take to the water immediately on 

 being hatched. Abounds in the fenny districts of England ; 

 flesh delicious. 



Of the Atra, Coot, Common-Coot, or Bald-Coot, there are 

 five varieties ; one with a blackish body ; another black with 

 white wings ; another entirely black; another brown, but the 

 chin, belly, and primary quill feathers white ; head spotted 

 with white, the upper mandible red ; another white, with a few 

 spots on the head and wings. This species inhabits Europe, 

 Asia, and America ; length fifteen inches, and is frequent in 

 this country in many of our lakes, rivers, and large ponds, 

 forming a floating nest among the flags. Eggs six, or more, 

 dirty white, sprinkled with minute rusty spots. The young, 

 when hatched, very deformed ; runs along the water ; swims 

 and dives dexterously ; feeds on insects, fishes, and seeds; in 

 winter often repairs to the sea. They are occasionally sold in 

 our markets ; flavour rather fishy. It breeds in Norfolk in 

 considerable numbers, where large gulls attack and devour 

 them. The Coot is soon reconciled to confinement, and be- 

 comes domestic. 



This bird, if deprived of water in which to pass the night, 

 will roost, as other land birds, upon any elevated situation: it 

 will ascend a tree with the activity of the wren. Linn. Transact- 

 vol. xiv. page 558. 



"The Coot her jet-wing loved to lave, 

 Rock'd on the bosom of the sleepless wave/' 



Rogers's Pleasures of Memory. 

 L 



