326 REPORT OF THK COMMISSIONERS OF 



by a dog. But the birds may also be found in the day-time hiding in the tall grass 

 in the swamp. This territory may be thoroughly hunted one day and no birds found, 

 while on the next day they may be found on the same grounds, having come in 

 during the night. 



When these birds migrate, as well as when they move to or from their feeding- 

 grounds, they fly singly. If an observer should stand by their feeding-swale or swamp 

 an hour before dusk he could see them suddenly twisting down in spirals as if from 

 the sky, or skulking from grassy tussocks in the marsh or the brushwood on the 

 hillside. Their whistling sound is characteristic and often guides the hunter to 

 their site. 



When food becomes scarce in the swamps, or when too much water accumulates 

 there, they may even penetrate the depths of forests, where they find food, such as 

 worms, larvs, etc., by turning over damp leaves with their bills. Little or no nest is 

 made. Sometimes a natural depression in the ground will suffice, and sometimes only 

 a curled leaf is used. 



The woodcock usually lays four eggs, varying in size, shape, and color, but the 

 average size is about 1.50x1.20 of an inch, or 3.80x3. centimeters. The ground 

 color is stone gray or buff or brownish, spotted and blotched with brown, gray, and 

 lilac markings. They hatch in about sixteen days or longer. They have been known 

 to carry their young to feeding-places ; some persons holding that this is done by the 

 bill, while others claim to have seen the young carried by being held between the 

 thighs of the parents. 



The young are precocial, being able to run about as soon as hatched, and are 

 able at once to understand and obey the warning voice of the mother to conceal 

 themselves when she suspects danger to her precious brood. They emerge from the 

 shell from the first of May to the first of July, and certainly are very peculiar and 

 mteresting little stilted bunches of gray down. Nature protects the young by not 

 giving their bodies the odor by which the adults may find each other, yet which 

 enables dogs and other keen-nosed animals to locate them in turn. Students of 

 ontogeny and phylogeny might say that this argues for a development from an 

 odorless ancestry. 



Protection. 



Woodcock are becoming more scarce almost every year. What are the reasons ? 

 Surely their natural enemies are on the decrease. The only advancing foe with which 

 they come in contact is the march of "civilization." It is very unfortunate that 

 mankind cannot be wise enough to see before too late the inevitable results of general 

 slaughter of our song and game birds, and the results of artificially transforming 

 their haunts. 



