Point Lepreaux N.B. [Point Lepreau, New Brunswick]
Habits of the coots etc. Gallinago Wilsoni
1876.
(April 16 [April 16, 1876])
by both the species and this flock was
uttering it incessantly. Three Mergus
serrator also lit near us and I had a 
good chance to watch them. One of 
them caught what looked like a small
eel and had apparently much trouble
in swallowing it, swimming rapidly
about and shaking it violently in its
bill. Two old squaws, both drakes in 
win. pl. [winter plumage] came in nearly under the 
bank and I watched them also carefully.
They are exceedingly beautiful 
and graceful on the water holding
their long tails rather high ([illustration]) and
moving about with great ease. In common
with the coots they always open
their wings as they dive, the motion
being very conspicuous when watched
through the glass. The loons and shieldrakes [sheldrakes]
dive very differently and much more 
gracefully giving a forward leap so
that the whole body nearly clears the
surface and leaving only a ring on the 
water, while the other birds make an irregular
splash. Of the coots O. perspicillata [Oidemia perspicillata] is the 
more graceful. O. Am. [Oidemia americana] stretches up its neck
more and at times looks strikingly like
its fresh water namesake Fulica am. [Fulica americana]
It frequently carries its tail nearly vertically.
In flying the coots always pass low
over the water the long lines following 
the undulations of the waves. In diving
the whole flock disappears almost at once.
Took a walk after supper & started a
snipe on the barrens behind the house