152 
1869. ! 
' 
1 
Pulica americana. 
Middlesex County, Mass, 
(Oct. 5) 
One (Concord). 
« JL4 
Two (Fresh Pond). 
• 15. 
Shot three on Fresh Pond. They would not allow 
my boat to approach within gun-shot, but landing I ap¬ 
proached them without any difficulty. 
1870. 
Sept.13. 
One (Fresh Pond). 
Nov. 9 , 
One came into Fresh Pond this morning and after 
being pursued the greater part of the day was finally 
killed. It acted very odly, keeping well out into the 
pond and when pursued by several boats sometimes flying, 
sometimes diving v/ith all the ease of a Sea-duck, often 
swimming several hundred yards under v/ater and eluding us 
with great cunning. We often lost sight of it allogeth- 
er, then it would reappear riding lightly on the waves. 
Late in the afternoon it alighted on a high bank near the 
water’s e edge and ran across an intervening strip of 
land to a pond hole where it ws killed. It proved an 
adult bird in fine plumage. Early in the season these 
Coots were frequently seen on Fresh Pond. They came 
in singly, or in pairs, at daybreak, usually alighting 
near the shore and, if not molested, often joined tamo 
Ducks feeding near the margin and spent the day with 
them. 
1871. 
Oct, 6, 
Two shot on Fresh Pond, the first seen this year. 
“ 7. 
One (Fresh Pond). 
« 8. 
One, the last (Fresh Pond), 
1874. 
Oct. 3.4. 
One in Fresh Pond, swimming up deep water some dis¬ 
tance from shore. 
1870. 
Oct, 10, 
The Coot is seldom a wary bird (At least the few 
stragglers that visit on New England waters) but the 
tameness of one found on Concord River exceeded anything 
that I have seen before. When first noticed this bird 
was swimming near a bod of lily-pads that margined the 
stream. As wo approached it showed no signs of fear, 
so laying down the oars, I took a paddle and without 
using any especial caution actually ran the boat within 
six feet of it. Even then it simply dodged our bows 
and continued to food within reach of the oars. As it 
gradually increased its distance I turned the boat and 
again overtook it, getting as near as before. After 
watching it for some time I pressed it hard and forced it 
