4 
COOT. 
Towards tlie end of tlic summer of 1873 tlie weather in the east of Norfolk was exceedingly hot and sultry, 
and the eels in the rivers and broads, being in some manner alfectcd by the water, crowded in immense 
numbers into the small channels and dykes before the rising tide, to escape its influence. In such spots 
they were caught in incredible quantities by the natives by means of “ babs In order to ascertain if the 
reports were not exaggerated, I resolved to pass the night on the water and visit the localities where the best 
takes were declared to have been obtained. A short extract from my notes referring to the expedition will 
show how frequently Coots passed over during the night : — 
“ Shortly before the darkness set in, a few ‘ colls ’f of Teal ami two or three couple of Mallard were 
noticed swecjiing low over the marshes to some favourite feeding-grounds. The Peewits were e.vceediuelv 
noisy, and eontiinicd wheeling and tumhling over their haunts till the daylight had eutirely disappeared 
loit-cared Owl or two flapped across the rushy ground, their long-cared relative also came in view and 
le scieec i o t lo Barn-Owl was distinetly heard from the neighbourhood of the plantations. Thoimh invisible 
owing to the height at which they kept, the cries of Coots were audible soon after dark, the birds evidently 
ling singly without any settled course, their calls occasionally being answered by others at a distance 
0 . ,0 list hour or so alter dark numbers flew past; the cries were then less froauent, but between 10 p 
iiol of of loast tivo or three were recognised during each succeeding 
houi. The night proved eyeessively close and still, even the rustling murmur of the reeds was hushed not 
10 P.M., while quanting from one spot to another where the eel-fishing was being carried on, a mile or two of the 
1 vei having been passed over and the silence broken only by the hum of the insects and the occasional slushinc 
fish the scream of a hare caught our ears, which, coupled with other sounds, left little doubt that poachem 
were taking leverets on the land adjoining the Martham marshes. I was rather surprised at tl fLt of th 
polling fmteruity being at work to-night. On my way to the boats just as day was closing in I had passed 
the door of a waterside publie-house, and attracted by the chorus of one of the popular airs of the da 
ehante in a slow and faltering manner by a single beery voice, had peeped round the eorne^f Um doZ 
m ceteoted a wdl-known poacher, seated by himself in front of the dying embers that smouldered in the 
1 C len giate. ^ot another soul appeared about the premises; but here sat ‘Spurgeon’ (the title bv which 
this character was known in the district), beating time to his melancholy dirge with the bottom of hh ! 
pot on the top of the range. At last his voice grew fainter and fainter and finally ceased the mim „-.r, i f 
and a fresh supply demanded in almost inaudible tones. No response beimr obtained Jhc not iva 1 ““ 1 
on the hob till dashed to pieces, when sinking hack in his chair aftar a few m^ttereTseiiteneeri " 
forward and a long-drawn snore proclaimed .he stupified sot in the land of dreams Abou 11 P m 1 
with a note I was totally unacquainted with crossed rapidly over, high in the air The can i‘ 
similc^r to thent of the Spotted Hedsliauk thoufrli it ditfV^vpri i n • ' ^ somewhat 
several Peewits were disturbed on a distan; mm“h and T! “ 
of an hour before again settling. Shortly after midnin.] t"”” -"“S ior nearly a quarter 
Sounds in an easterly direction, their notes hciii'> audible f ^ ° “. “■'“'“sliauks jiasscd over Uoigham 
thunderstorm broke over the country toiva d ^ ‘T 
caused by the lightning, was eleari; visible and Ztin::^ buili^;:^!:,^^ ^ 
the exception of Coots, Peewits, and a solitary Curlew no other hlrch ^ m 4A ith 
Shortly before daybreak a drenching shower came down when the ,1 ' ” f *7 
rising in gradually increasing gusts, put a stop to all ch’ancc of furth7 o“bservnttan"s.‘“ 
bo«f. .Ida by me.™, of a .tout rod. The li.h asulllj. talma aro’,m!ll” tat ^dtl.cl I o“b T T'"" ““ 
t » Coll i, a local aamo for a brood of tbo young of any of Ibo wob-foolod frita, ' ' 
