15G HISTORY OF THE 



Tarsi stout, shorter thau the micldle toe. Hind claw very short, conical, not 

 extending beyond the toe. Tail of twelve feathers." 



Philohela minor (Gmet-.). 



AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 

 PLATE X. 



Occasional summer resident; quite common in migration. Ar- 

 rive the last of February to middle of March; begin laying the 

 first of April; a few linger until the ice closes their feeding 



grounds. 



B. .522. R. 525. C. 605. G, 240, 73. U. 228. 



Habitat. Eastern United States, north to British Provinces, 



west to the plains; accidental in the Bermudas; breeding 



throughout its range. 



Sp. Char. "Bill long, compressed, punctuated and (in dried skins) corra- 

 rugated near the end; upper mandible longer than the under, and fitted to it at 

 the tip; wings moderate, three outer quills very narrow; tail short; legs mod- 

 erate; eyes inserted unusually distant from the bill. Adult: Occiput with three 

 transverse bands of black, alternating with three much narrower ones of pale 

 yellowish rufous; upper parts of body variegated with pale ashy rufous, or yel- 

 lowish red of various shades, and black; large space on front and throat reddish 

 ashy; line from the eye to the bill, and another on the neck below the eye, 

 brownish black; entire under parts pale grayish rufous, brighter ou the sides 

 and under wing coverts; quills ashy brown; tail feathers brownish black, tipped 

 with ashy, darker on the upper surface, paler and frequently white on the un- 

 der; bill light brown, paler and yellowish at base; legs pale reddish. Downy 

 young: Generally, color light reddish buff or Isabella color, uniform ou the 

 lower surface; line from bill to eye, a large, somewhat elliptical patch covering 

 forehead and fore part of the crown, a patch ou the occiput (connected with 

 tliat of the crown by a narrow isthmus) and a narrow mark behind the eye, with 

 an oblique one below it, very dark chestnut; broad stripe down the rump also 

 chestnut; stripe down the nape, and various large blotches on the back, wings, 

 etc., rather light snuff brown." 



Stretch of 

 Length, wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 10.50 17.50 5.25 2.25 1.25 2.50 



Female . . . 11.50 18.75 5.50 2.50 1.30 2.75 



The following interesting description of this popular game 

 bird is taken from "North American Water Birds," Vol. I, 

 p. 184: 



"In its habits the "Woodcock is nocturnal. It never flies 

 voluntarily by day, but only when forced from its retreats, usu- 

 ally keeping in close and sheltered thickets, and resorting at 

 twilight to its favorite feeding places. It feeds almost exclu- 



