24 ^ 
atxen’s naturalist’s library. 
™‘''y be found in the 
tTfr. 1 few hundred yards, and at that season of the year 
the Coot IS a retiiing bird and keeps more to the reeds than to 
the open water. Of an evening, however, they may be seen 
slowly swimming about, when the white shield on their forehead 
renders tljem easily recognisable from the Moor- Hens In the 
autumn they congregate together, and will associate with the 
Ducks on a decoy, so much so. that I have often seen a 
peat many killed during a day’s Duck-shooting. They trust 
to escape more by swimming under the overhanging branches of 
Jaunted on the wing, is a powerful flier. In the winter vast 
numbers used to congregate in Pagham Harbour, and the same 
may be said of Poole Harbour. 
compact structure of dry flags, built in 
foundation of reeds. The example in the Natural History 
hke ^Ta ^ Ef^ward Shelley’s 
lap at Apngton, was decorated with marigolds, which were 
intertwined among the flags forming the rim of the nest. 
T? number, though Mr. Robert 
Reed tel s me that eight is the largest number he has everfouS 
m a Coots nest. Ground-colour stone-buff or pale clay-colour 
sometimes inclining to olive, the whole of the surface minuteD 
ptfed with dark brown or blackish spots, the underlying spots 
being piirphsh-gre>', and equally plentifully distributed. Axis 
1-9-2 -2 inches; diam., 1-35 -1-45. ’ 
THE PIGEONS. ORDER COLUMBIFORMES. 
In tp Pigeop the bill is schizognathous, and the nasals 
^^^'^“'■.bmal, wph basipterygoid processes present and 
the a' ^be pnmary-quills are eleven in number and 
the fifth secpdary is absent. The hind-toe is connected with 
the flexor Jongus halluas tendon, and not with the flexor 
peiflorans di^tortim-, the two deep plantar tendons not being 
free, but united by a “vinculum.” The hind-toe is on the 
same level as the others. The bill is swollen at the tip, the 
latter being hard and convex, while the basil portion is covered 
