WOODCOCK 273 



The Snipe is a rather common migrant through New 

 York and New England in late March, April, September, 

 and October. It winters sparingly in springy places in south- 

 ern New England and the lower Hudson Valley, and breeds 

 in northeastern Maine. The Snipe is found in fresh water 

 marshes and wet meadows ; it lies concealed in the shelter 

 of a tuft of grass, trusting to its coloration for protection, 

 until one is almost upon it, when it rises with a harsh 

 scaipe, and goes twisting off. 



In the spring, and occasionally in the fall, the Snipe rises 

 at dusk over the marshes and utters a muffled sound, which 

 has been termed bleating, but has a distinct suggestion of 

 air winnowed by feathers. The Snipe may occasionally be 

 seen on cloudy afternoons in spring, flying back and forth, 

 rising and falling in great curves, uttering this sound, which 

 appears to come at the end of each descent. Its long bill 

 and the Hack, ichite, and reddish-brown of its tail serve 

 to distinguish it readily from any other bird of the open 

 meadow. 



Woodcock. Philohela minor 

 11.00. Bill 2.90 



Ad. — Back of head black, barred with rusty yellow; rest of 

 upper parts grayish-brown, mixed with black ; dark line from the 

 eye to the bill; under parts buffy, tinged especially on the flanks 

 with cinnamon ; tail black, tipped ivith white; eye large. 



Nest, on the ground. Eggs, buffy, spotted with reddish-brown 

 and purplish-gray. 



The Woodcock is a summer resident of New York and 

 New England, formerly common, but now becoming rare. 

 It arrives early in March, and stays till November. It feeds 

 in low swampy w T oodland, where it bores for worms in the 

 soft mud. In the fall it is often flushed from rather dry 

 woodland. When it rises, it almost always makes a whistling 

 sound, presumably with its wings. 



