434 



WOODCOCK. Class II. 



appearance and difappearance in Sweden ; coin- 

 cides mod exactly with that of their arrival in, 

 and their retreat from Great Britain *. They live 

 on worms and infects, which they fearch for with 

 their long bills in foft ground and moiil woods. 

 Woodcocks generally arrive here in flocks, taking 

 advantage of the night, or a mid : they foon fepa- 

 rate ; but before they return to their native 

 haunts, pair. They feed and fly by night •, be- 

 o-'mnins: their flight in the evening, and return the 

 fame way, or through the fame glades to their 

 day retreat. They leave England the latter end of 

 February, or beginning of March-, not but they 

 have been known to continue here accidentally. 

 In Cafe-wood, about two miles from Tunbridge, a 

 few breed almofl annually: the young having 

 been fhot there the beginning of Auguft, and were 

 as healthy and vigorous as they are with us in the 

 winter, but not fo well tailed : a female with egg 

 was (hot in that neighbourhood in April-, the egg 



* M. de Geer's and Dr. Walleriush letters to myfelf. M. de 

 Geer exprefies himfelf thus ; La Becajfe (Scolopax rufiicola) 

 part d'ici vers V automne, Je ne fcais pas au jujle dans quel 

 mots. On la trowve ici ajjez en attendance dans Pete. Elle a 

 coutume au foleil coucbant de faire fa <volee en cerde ou tcujours en 

 rond en Pair revenant toujour* dans le me me endroit a plujieurs 

 reprifes, et c*eft alors qifon peut ta tirer a coup de fujil. En hi-ver 

 on ne <voit aucune, elle partent alors toutes. 



M. Wallcrius gave me this account of them. Scolopaces rufii- 

 coltf penes nos nidificant. Sed autumnali tempore abeunt, ac <ver- 

 nali redeunt, 



was 



