223 
1872. 
Polionetta perspicillata: 
Pan,& Feb. ^mong hundreds of “Coots” in Boston Market from 
1875. 
Get, 2. 
the coast of Mass., I have been unable to find a single 
specimen of this-species. 
A large flock flying high in air above Wood’s Holl 
v/as composed entirely of adult males of this species. 
1876. 
Apr, 13, 
Among the multitudes of O.americana, oassint? Point 
Lepreaux to-day this species occurred in the proportion 
to one to four of the forper, (Point Lepreaux,N.B.) , 
“ 14. 
While watching a flock to-day through a pov/’erful 
telescope I distinctly sav; several dringing sea water, 
elevating the bill in pt each sv/allov/ in precisely the 
manner of a hen. (Point Lepreaux,N.B. 
“ 15. 
Numbers migrating in company vath the much more 
numerous O.americana. (Point Lenreaux, N.B.K 
“ 16. 
An extraordinary flight of Coots this afternoon, 
beginning about 2 P.M. and lasting till dark, the ma¬ 
jority being of this species. Thousands upon thousands 
v^ere continually passing, stringing out in long lines, 
clustered together in masses, and indeed marshaled in 
almost every conceivable form, all streaming along shore 
to the eastvfard. In a cove vrest of the Point at least 
two-hundred v/'ere collected nin a bed o-f. on the \ 7 ater. 
I watched them for a long time through a pov/erful tele¬ 
scope; v/ith the exception of a. single pair of O.america 
na all were of this species, the males very beautiful 
in their full breeding plumage. Again I distinctly saw 
them drink salt v/ater, elevating the bill almost Verti¬ 
cally at each sip. The peculiar murmuring note seems 
to be uttered by this species as well as the Common Sco¬ 
ter for it came incessantly from this flock. I noticed 
that these Coots alv^'ays opened their wings when they 
dove which they did with an irregular splash. They are 
much more graceful than either of the other species 
when swimming. (Point Lepreaux,N.B.), 
“ 17. 
A steady flight during the forenoon. Shot sever¬ 
al, The male is a beautiful bird when freshly killed, 
its bill variagated v/-ith vivid blood red shading into 
carmine, white, and a large blotch of glossy black; 
the feet are very deep carmine and black. These birds 
are genonally shy of a boat but a flock vrill occasionally 
come within a long range. They are extremely tenacious 
of life and v/e heard the shot strike many that did not 
fall. Others dropped their feet at the report and 
leaving the flock settled on the water, but v/'hen ap¬ 
proached they usually dove so persistently that we 
rarely secured them. (Point Lepreaux,N.B.). 
