3oo 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



times the shores of estuaries, bays, and gulfs.* Like the Water Hen 

 and the Rail, their life is almost nocturnal. During the daytime they 

 secrete themselves among reeds and flags ; from which they do not 

 emerge until evening, when the demands of Nature forces them to 

 seek their food. This consists of worms, small fishes, and the young 

 shoots of aquatic plants. Coots but rarely traverse firm ground, 

 where they walk with difficulty ; on the other hand, they swim and 

 dive with graceful ease. Their flight is less feeble than that of the 

 Rails ; still it is far from strong. 



b\g. 114 — Tne Bald Coot. 



Coots herd together in flocks; they make their nests on reeds 

 doubled down on the water, and lay from eight to fourteen eggs. 

 The young ones are able to swim as soon as they are hatched, but 

 they often fall a prey to the marsh harrier. It sometimes happens 

 that the whole brood is destroyed in this way : when such is the 

 case, if early in the season, the female lays a second time. 



The Coot is found in every country in Europe, in North America, 

 in Asia, and in Africa. Its flesh, which is white and delicate in 



* The southern extremity of the Chesapeake Bay (Va.), in the winter of 1871, 

 was covered with thousands of Coots. — Ed. 



