GENUS 83. FULICA. COOT. 
SPECIES 8. F. JiMERIC^NA. 
CINEREOUS COOT.* 
[Plate LXXIIL— Fig. 1.] 
h'ldica Americana, Gmel. Syst, i, p. 704, 23. — Lath. Ind. Orn.p. 
779, 5. Cinereous Coot, Gen. Syn. ni,p. 279. — Peale’s Muse- 
um, JSTc. 4322. 
This species makes its appearance in Pennsylvania about the 
first of October. Among the muddy flats and islands of the ri- 
ver Delaware, which are periodically overflowed, and which 
are overgrown with the reed or wild-oats, and rushes, the Coots 
are found. They are not numerous, and are seldom seen, ex- 
cept their places of resort be covered with water: in that case 
they are generally found sitting on the fallen reed, waiting for 
the ebbing of the tide, which will enable them to feed. Their 
food consists of various aquatic plants, seeds, insects, and, it is 
said, small fish. The Coot has an aversion to take wing, and can 
seldom be sprung in its retreat at low water; for although it 
walks rather awkwardly, yet it contrives to skulk through the 
grass and reeds with great speed, the compressed form of its 
body, like that of the Rail genus, being well adapted to the pur- 
pose. It swims remarkably well, and, when wounded, will dive 
like a duck. When closely pursued in the water, it generally 
takes to the shore, rising with apparent reluctance, like a wound- 
ed duck, and fluttering along the surface with its feet pattering 
on the water.t It is known in Pennsylvania by the name of 
the Mud-hen. 
* Named in the plate Common Coot. 
t In Carolina they are called Flusterers, from the noise they make in flying 
along the surface of the water. A voyage to Carolina by John Lawson, p. I 49 . 
