. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . their nests on reedsdoubled down on the water, and lay from eight to fourteen young ones are able to swim as soon as they are hatched, butthey often fall a prey to the marsh harrier. It happensthat the whole brood is destroyed in this way: when such is thecase, if early in the season, the female lays a second time. The Coot is found in every country in Europe, in North America,in Asia, and in Africa. Its flesh, which is white and delicate
. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . their nests on reedsdoubled down on the water, and lay from eight to fourteen young ones are able to swim as soon as they are hatched, butthey often fall a prey to the marsh harrier. It happensthat the whole brood is destroyed in this way: when such is thecase, if early in the season, the female lays a second time. The Coot is found in every country in Europe, in North America,in Asia, and in Africa. Its flesh, which is white and delicate in * The southern extremity of the Chesapeake Bay (Va,), in the winter of 187]was covered with thousands of Coots. — Ed, THE PRATIXCOLE. 301 appearance, is usually very fat, but has a disagreeable taste andmarsh-like odour. Three species are known, only one of which isfound in tliis country, namely, the Coot {Fulica atra, Fig. 114), theFonlqne macroule of French naturalists, very common in the northof France and all quarters of the Old and New World; the CrestedCoot {F. cristata)^ sometimes a visitor to tlie South of Europe, and. Fig. 115.—Pratincoles. differing very litde from the Common Coot, but distinguished fromit by the red and prominent bony protuberances at the top of thefrontal plate; and the Blue Coot, which is described as an inhabitantof Portugal. The Pratincole {G/areola pratinco/a, Fig. 115) has the bill shortand curved, the tarsi long and slender, the middle toe joined to theouter by a small membrane, the wings long and pointed, the tailforked. They live in flocks on the banks of tlie Danube, the Volga,and on the of tlie Black and Caspian Seas. They feed on 302 REPTILES AND BIRDS. worms, water-insects, and especially locusts, which they catch onthe wing. From the great similarity of these birds to the Swallows, manynaturalists have classed them in the same order. The Jacanas {Farm) are characterised by a straight and middle-sized bill; legs armed with
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles, bookyear1
