THE COOT. 847 



tarsus, latter with sharp edge at back. Claws very sharp and 

 pointed, rather straight. Extended white frontal shield in adults. 

 Tail short, rounded, in the European species 14, not rarely 16, 

 rectrices. About a dozen forms in various parts of the globe. 



FULICA ATRA 



484. Fulica atra atra L.— THE COOT. 



Fulica atra Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 152 (1758 — Europe. Re- 

 stricted typical locality : Sweden). 

 Fulica atra Linnaeus, Yarrell, in, p. 171 ; Saunders, p. 519. 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter and summer. — ■ 

 Whole head and neck all round black, crown and back of neck 

 glossy, chin and throat with deep brownish tinge ; rest of upper- 

 parts very dark blue-slate, scapulars, back and upper tail-coverts 

 more or less tinged brown ; short grey-white line under eye ; all 

 under -parts below throat paler slate with slight grey-brown tinge, 

 and, when freshly grown, feathers usually slightly fringed white 

 including axillaries and under wing-coverts ; under tail-coverts 

 blackish ; tail-feathers brown-black ; primaries grey-black, tips 

 blacker ; secondaries greyer-black with varying amount of white or 

 brownish -white at tips, inner elongated ones glossy black without 

 white and tinged brown especially at tips of innermost ; wing- 



The Coot {Fulica a. atra). Adult male, summer. 



coverts as mantle but inner median and greater with glossy brown 

 tinge as inner secondaries, coverts all round edge of wing with white 

 outer webs forming very narrow white line, which is also visible on 

 extreme edge of outer web of outer primary. This plumage is 

 acquired by complete moult July-Oct. All wing-feathers, wing- 

 coverts and tail-feathers are moulted simultaneously but sometimes 

 one or two feathers do not drop until others are about a quarter 

 grown. Some adults noted as moulting body in May may have been 

 starting autumn moult early, while others moulting body April 

 appeared to be 1st summer birds starting autumn moult. There 

 appears to be only one regular moult but some individuals may 

 renew some feathers a second time in spring. 



Nestling. — Closely covered with down with long, fine hair -like 



