THE COMMON COOT. 
335 
the ebb. The redshanks were^ as usual, calling in a lively manner, 
and displaying in flight the beautiful white marking of their 
wings. The ash-coloured sandpipers (Tringa canutus) were 
pretty and noiseless. The dunlins (Tringa variahilis) were 
in thousands, and, when on flight, most attractive, the silvery 
white of their upturned wings even dazzling in the sun-light. A 
flock of coots brought here by the severity of the weather, in 
their pitchy and unrelieved blackness formed a fine contrast to 
the snowy gulls near which they floated. Among the gulls alone 
what variety in the several species and in bii’ds of various age ! 
Even in form, how different is the long narrow wing of the two 
black-backed kinds (Larus marinus and L. fuscus) — and much of 
the same breadth throughout, with its pure white binding, making 
it look still more narrow — from the short and pointed, or trian- 
gular-shaped wing of the black-headed species (A. ridihundus) . Eour 
adult individuals of Larus marinus were on wing together, and 
several others, adult and immature, in view — one of the latter in 
his duU garb venturing to fly with Ids senior in full costume, was 
indignantly driven back by him. Herring gulls (A. argentatus) 
added much to the life of the scene by dasliing down from a 
height of about twenty yards on their prey near the surface of the 
water, while so clear was the atmosphere that the black extremities 
of their quill feathers were quite conspicuous. Wild ducks occa- 
sionally rose on wing, and large flocks of wigeon were on the 
water in the distance.'’^ 
Mr. E, Ball writes, A great many bald coots frequent the 
pond at the gardens of the Eoyal Zoological Society, Phcenix 
Park, Dublin, where several pair annually breed. Mr. Scott 
(the eurator) states that the hen coot makes a second nest long 
before her first brood are able to take care of themselves, and that 
they are then taken charge of by the cock, who provides for them 
while the hen incubates a second clutch. I saw a coot drop 
an egg here while flying ; it fell on some herbage and was 
unbroken. 
A purple coot once kept at the Zoological Gardens exhibited 
a very remarkable power, little to be expected from such a bird. 
