28 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
right on the flank), also the dark bill and green legs. 
But the legs showed a yellowish band above the knee 
and looked as if they might turn yellow later on, 
and I concluded it was a young bird. In size it was 
the same as the other two, which were ordinary 
Waterhen, but it was much browner than they in 
general plumage. 
By a strange inversion of names, the Lake shooters 
call the Waterhen ''Bally Coot" and the Bald 
Coot " Waterhen." 
BALD COOT 
Porphyrio melanotus melanotus 
I JUDGE this to be the most numerous of all our 
Rail-like birds, as it is certainly the largest and most 
conspicuous. Most of us have met with the Bald 
Coot at some time or other, whether at the opening 
of the Duck season as he beats past on agitated wings 
with long legs trailing behind him, hoping no doubt 
against hope that the gunners crouching beneath the 
reeds at the end of the point may be better sports 
than to shoot such an easy mark and poor addition 
to the bag ; or later when, his fate sealed, he hangs 
miserably in some poulterer's window, the glorious 
purple plumage dulled and stained — penultimate 
stage before his final appearance on the menu of 
some fourth-rate eating-house under the charitable 
pseudonym of " teal." A shame it is to shoot these 
