132 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
OF THE COOT. 
Bill ftrong, thick, floping to a point ; the bafe 
of the upper mandible rifing far up into the fore- 
head: both ‘mandibles of equal length : noftrils in- 
clining to oval, narrow, fliort : body comprelTed : 
wings and tail fliort : toes long, furniflied with 
broad fcalloped membranes between each joint, on 
each fide ; the inner toe has two, the middle three, 
and the outer four fcallops : and the hinder toe, one 
plain membrane adhering to it its whole length. 
The Coot is met with in various parts of Europe, 
Afia, and America ; its flefli is erf a ftrong marjhy 
tafte y for which, by fome people, it is much liked ; 
while others, for the fame reafon, hold it in little 
eftimation. 
