This is an excellent bird where it is found in great numbers, but is
only fitted to give much sport by driving. It rises slowly, but is fast
when on the wing, flies high, and takes a great deal of killing. Colonel
Hawker quite rightly advised those who would have wild fowl to preserve
their coots and not to keep tame swans. Wild fowl fancy themselves
secure in the presence of coots, which are most wakeful when the duck by
day are much disposed to sleep. _Gallinula chloropus_, the moorhen,
gives no sport, but is good training for retrievers. Linnæus gave the
title _Fulica atra_ to the coot. It lays from 7 to 10 eggs.