^ 



( 79 ) 

 The Bald Coot. Fulica. - ^i//^^Aj^ 



Numb. LXXXIII. ^2.0- 



ITS Length from the Tip of the Bill to the End of the Tail is eighteen 

 Inches ; Breadth when the Wings are expanded, two Foot feven In- 

 ches ; Weight thirty one Ounces ; the Bill is one Inch and a half long, 

 is white, with a light Tin^ure of blue, fharp pointed, and a little compref- 

 fed or narrow ; both Mandibles equal; the Feet are blewifh, or of a dusky 

 green ; the back Toe little, with one only Membrane adhering, and that 

 not fcallop'd, but extending all the Length of the Toe ; the inner fore Toe 

 is a little fhorter than the outer, but all the Toes are longer than in whole 

 Footed Birds; about the Joints of the Toes are Semi-circular Membranes 

 appendent ; on the inner Toe two, on the middle three, and on the outer 

 four. Thefe circular Membranes are bigger, and more diflindt on the in- 

 iide of the Toes ; fo that the intermediate Incifures or Nicks reach to the 

 very Joints. This may be thus briefly exprefled; the three fore Toes have 

 lateral Membranes on each Side fcalloped, the inner with two, the middle 

 Toe with three, and the outer with four Scallops ; from the Bill almoft to 

 the Crown of the Flead, arifes an Excrefcency or Lobe of Fiefli, bare of 

 Feathers, foft, fmooth and round, which they call the Baldnefs ; the Fea- 

 thers about the Head and Neck are low, foft and thick ; the Colour all over 

 the Body black, deeper about the Head ; the Bread and Belly are of a lead 

 Colour ; the Thighs covered with Feathers almoft down to the Knees, and 

 juft beneath the Feathers is a Ring of yellow about the Leg ; the firft ten 

 quill Feathers are of a dark, dufky or black Colour, the eight next are 

 lighter, with white Tips, and the laft or thofe next the Body are of a deeper 

 black: The Tail conflfts of twelve Feathers, and is two Inches long. 



The Liver is great, divided into two Lobes, having a large Gall-bladder ; 

 the blind Guts are nine Inches long, their Ends for an Inch's Space being 

 reflecfted or double backwards : It builds its Neft of Grafs, broken Reed, 

 8r'c. floating on the Top of the Water; fo that it rifes and falls together 

 with the Water. The Reeds among which it is built flop it from being 

 carried down by the Stream: It feldom flts upon Trees. The Flefli is not 

 accounted good Meat, but in ltal<y it is moll eileemed. 



The 



