igoi] Moore — The Woodcock's Love Song. 195 



will tackle everything- that comes in their way, and will eat every- 

 thing- they can hold. Sag'ittaria and lily leaves put in for shade 

 were relished for food, and Vv^ere supplied while available. 



Our common turtle {Chrysemys picta) is, in many localities, 

 not rare. Its bright red markings along the margin of the shell 

 make it an attractive t)b)ect. It is hardy and easily kept. After 

 a short time it will become quite tame and be a source of instruc- 

 tion, and amusement as well. To any one wishing to start an 

 aquarium it will be a good specimen. 



NOTES ON THE WOODCOCK'S LOVE SONG. 



By Wm. H. Moore, Scotch Lake, N.B. 



(Read before the Ornitholog-ical Section of the Entomological Society of 



Ontario. 

 [Transcript from field note-book.] 



May 17, 1898. — Woodcocks are about at nights now. They 

 beg^in their antics soon after sunset. On the ground the male 

 struts about the $ uttering a note sounding like zeet, and much 

 like the nighthawk's note but finer (not so harsh and loud). Then 

 with the whistling twitter takes flight, and in gradually widening- 

 circles mounts high in the air — to a height, I should say, of 200 

 yards. Near the last of this upward flight he begins his song — 

 which is a pleasant twitter, and more of a musical call than many 

 song birds have — which sounds like chip-t-chee chip-t chee tweep. 

 This is given forth several times, and towards the last the bird's 

 flight is undulating in narrower circles, when of a sudden the song 

 stops and the bird descends to its mate on the ground. Descend- 

 ing in nearly a straight line, at varying- ang-les to the earth, he 

 again begins the nighthawk call and so on. The ? evidently feeds 

 while the $ is on his honeymoons. The notes, as you say in the 

 O. N., are somewhat ventriloquil. I attributed this to the circling 

 of the bird, and assisted by the fact that one must have things 

 sort of convenient (such as light sky and distance) to see the bird. 

 When I was able to see the bird during flight the ventriloquil 

 eff^ect was not so much in evidence. 



May, I, 1901 — Heard the woodcock singing this evening. 

 The day was cloudless, so I could see him plainly. 



