188 
THE HOME OF THE COOT. 
a half or two feet. So firm are some of them that, whilst up to the 
knees in water, they afforded me a seat sufficiently strong to support my 
weight. They are composed of flags and broken reeds, finer towards 
the inside, and contain from seven to eight eggs. The materials 
vary according to the locality, and frequently the nests are formed 
entirely of Equisetum limosum. These birds, says Montagu, place 
their nests among the flags upon the surface of the water; but by heap- 
ing a large quantity of the same materials together, raise the fabric 
sufficiently above water to keep the eggs dry. In this buoyant state 
a sudden flood, attended by a gale of wind, has been known to drive 
them from their moorings ; and we are assured by an intelligent ob- 
server of nature, that he has seen a nest floated from one side of a 
large piece of water to the other, with the bird upon it. The eggs, 
which vary in number from six to ten, are much larger than those of 
the AVater-hen, but very similar, being of an elongated oval, light 
yellowish grey or stone colour, marked all over with dots and small 
spots of brownish black. 
Bishop Mant gives a faithful and pleasing picture of this 
bird : — 
And lo ! where dives the hungry Coot, 
I know him by his sable suit, 
Streak' d with the pinion's border white, 
And o'er his bill the frontlet bright. 
Again he dives : you well might know 
There 's store of flnny prey below, 
Ev'n heard you not the frequent dash 
Break the still lake with sudden splash ; 
What time, emerging from the deep, 
The fish with spring elastic leap ; 
Nor saw the rippling motion pass 
In circles o'er the wavy glass. 
The wavy glass is smooth again : 
And mark ! no wrinkle now, nor stain. 
Disturbs the crystal mirror's face ; 
AVhere in illusive trails we trace 
Complete, as limner's brush can show, 
The sunbright sky's cerulean glow. 
The margin, that the waters lave, 
The flags that on the margin wave, 
The sheep and cows and pastures green, 
And circling hills are pictured seen. 
