THE HAUNT OF THE COOT 183 
fire removes the sheltering Rushes and the ice makes 
all places easy of access that the habitations of the 
previous summer are disclosed* The nests are large 
and loosely woven in the half-solid banks of Rushes* 
They show where families have been reared in easy 
disregard of passing boats on the open water and 
pedestrians on the solid ground* 
The hiders are generally noisy, and their uproar 
seems more in derision than alarm when curious eyes 
seek in vain for the source of their varied clucks, calls, 
and chatters* Coots make a good appearance in the 
open water, where they move with heads elevated 
after the manner of the Grebes* As their long toes 
are equipped with scalloped lobes, they are good 
swimmers, and they can also dive well if pursued 
where no friendly sheltering Rushes are available* 
They fly only when obliged to, but after the first 
trailing efforts they make good speed* In steady flight 
their stroke and outline suggest the Duck, but their 
long legs cannot be gathered up out of sight* Against 
the dark-green background of the Rushes or out over 
the open water their dark slaty plumage seems black 
as night, but strong sunlight brings out the lighter 
shades. The Coots seem quite reasonable in their 
migrations, following the opening season northward 
and nesting freely throughout their range* There is 
no eager quest of the arctic or the far south. They 
locate on the marshes and sloughs, where shelter is 
