LESSER WOODCOCK. 195 



ing cooler climates, winters in Great Britain and the north 

 of Europe, and retires as early as March, to breed in the 

 Alps or in the frigid wilds of Sweden, Norway, Russia, and 

 penetrates even to the icy shores of Greenland, and the 

 heaths of Iceland. About the same period, early in March, 

 the American Woodcock revisits Pennsylvania, and soon 

 after the New England or Eastern States. Indeed so sed- 

 entary is the species at times, that a few are known to win- 

 ter in the sheltered forests and open watery glades of Penn- 

 sylvania; at the same sieason also, many are seen in the vi- 

 cinity of Natchez, in Mississippi. According to their usual 

 habits, they keep secluded in the woods and thickets, till the 

 approach of evening, when they sally forth to seek out springs, 

 paths, and broken soil, in quest of worms and other insects, 

 on which they feed. They now disperse themselves over 

 the country to breed, and indicate their presence in all di- 

 rections by the marks of their boring bills, which are seen 

 in such soft and boggy places as are usually sheltered by 

 thickets and woods. They also turn over the fallen leaves 

 from side to side with their bills in quest of lurking insects, 

 but never scratch with their feet, though so robust in their 

 appearance. The sensibility possessed by the extremity of 

 the bill, as in the Snipe, is of such an exquisite nature, that 

 they are enabled to collect their food by the mere touch, 

 without using their eyes, which are set at such a distance 

 and elevation in the back part of the head, as to give the 

 bird a remarkable aspect of stupidity. When flushed or sur- 

 prised in their hiding places, they only rise in a hurried 

 manner to the tops of the bushes, or glide through the un- 

 der growth to a short distance, when they instantly drop 

 down again, and run out for some space on touching the 

 ground, lurking as soon as they imagine themselves in a 

 safe retreat. At times, in open woods, they fly out straight 

 with considerable vigor and swiftness, but the effort, from 



