File:Indian sporting birds (1915) (14727594066).jpg

Identifier: indiansportingbi00finn (find matches)
Title: Indian sporting birds
Year: 1915 (1910s)
Authors: Finn, Frank, 1868-1932 Hume, Allan Octavian, 1829-1912 Marshall, Charles Henry Tilson, 1841-
Subjects: Birds -- India Game and game-birds -- India
Publisher: London : Francis Edwards
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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t and getting much ofits food below water; it dives with a spring like the whistlingducks, and especially searches for water snails ; it also feeds onweeds, and I have seen one capture a small fish, not by diving,but by suddenly ducking its head under. Grain is also readilydevoured if obtainable. Coots are in fact constantly seen inassociation with ducks in India, and may easily be, and nodoubt often are, mistaken for them; but the entirely blackplumage, and white bill and forehead-patch are very distinctdifferences from any duck, and even when these points are notnoticeable, the rounded back and small head carried well forwarddistinguish these swimming rails from the duck family. Cootsalso rise less readily than most ducks, and though often exceed-ingly numerous, get up individually and not in flocks. Theyare often so mixed up with the ducks they associate with thatmany may be killed by accident; few people would make thema special object of pursuit, as they are not birds to eat when
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<c LU V PORPHYRIO 115 ducks are obtainable, having a rank, oily skin, and a greattendency to ossification in the drumstick tendons ! Hume, however, says that coots as well as rails and crakes will furnish a savoury enough dish if, instead of plucking them,you skin them and then soak the bodies for a couple of hours incold water (which should be changed at least twice) beforeputting them into the stew-pan, with onions, and, if you canget it, sage. When brought to hand, the coot, if not killed dead, will giveplenty of proof that it is not a duck by the vigour of its scratches;the feet are not only provided with particularly strong claws,but are webbed in a curious manner, with a separate scallopedbordering web to each toe, for no rail, not even such a veryaquatic species as this, has any web hetiveen the toes. Cootswalk quite well, but are not often to be seen doing so ; they nestamong the aquatic vegetation, or even on the bottom of shallowwater, building the nests up into islands,

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