72 BULLETIN 142, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Mr. Brewster (1925) writes: 



Many years ago I expressed in print a belief that the whistling sound made 

 by a rising woodcock is produced by the bird's wings. This conviction has 

 since been confirmed by field experience at the lake with woodcock killed during 

 the first half of September, and in varying conditions of moult. Such of them 

 as still retained or had just renewed the attenuated outer primaries, almost 

 always whistled when flushed, whereas no sound other than a dull fluttering 

 one was ever heard from any of those not thus equipped. Hence I continue 

 to hold firmly to the opinion that the woodcock's clear, silvery whistle emanates 

 from these " whistling quills ", as sportsmen fitly term them, and not from the 

 bird's throat. There are, however, certain sounds, not very unlike those which 

 combine to form the usual characteristic whistle, but more disconnected and 

 twittering, which may be of vocal origin. One hears them oftenest from 

 the woodcock hovering, just before alighting, or flitting low over the ground 

 for trifling distances, beating their wings rather listlessly. This comparatively 

 slow pulsation of the wings might account for the interrupted sequence of the 

 sounds, but not perhaps, for their seemingly throaty quality. 



Edward H. Forbush (1925) quotes three observers, as follows: 



Mr. W. H. Harris asserts that he held a woodcock by the bill which whistled 

 three times with a rotary motion of body and wings. Mr. J. M. Dinsmore held 

 a woodcock by the body and wings to prevent movement of these parts, and 

 he says that this bird whistled through its mouth and throat. Mr. H. Austin 

 avers that he flushed a woodcock that did not whistle, marked the bird and 

 put him up again when he whistled, which indicates that the bird may have 

 made the sound with its vocal equipment. 



Fall. — The following from the pen of Mr. Forbush (1912) illus- 

 trates the conditions which affect the fall flight : 



The flights of birds from the North have not diminished in number so much 

 as have the native birds. Occasionnlly a large flight stops here, as in early 

 November, 1908, when woodcock were plentiful here, and when some gunners 

 in Connecticut secured from 20 to 40 birds each in a day. This flight did not 

 denote such an increase in the number of these birds, however, as generally 

 was believed. The explanation is that they all came at once. The birds in 

 Maine and the Provinces had a good breeding season, and they must have 

 had a plentiful supply of food, for the autumn weather was mild, and they 

 mostly remained in their northern homes until nearly the 1st of November. 

 Flight birds were rare in Massachusetts up to that time, and the bags were 

 small. The fall had been warm and dry, but on October 29 and 30 New England 

 and the Provinces experienced a severe northeast storm along the seaboard, 

 followed by a cold northwest wind, which probably froze up the northern 

 feeding grounds, if the storm had not already buried them in snow. Either 

 or both of these conditions drove the woodcock into southern New England. 

 My correspondence shows that this flight landed in every county of Massa- 

 chusetts except Dukes and Nantucket. As usual, comparatively few were seen 

 in Barnstable County. Connecticut covers harbored many woodcock from about 

 November 12 to November 20. There were many in Rhode Island, and the 

 flight was noted as far south as Delaware. 



Game. — It is as a game bird that the woodcock is best known, 

 most beloved, and most popular, for it is a prince among game birds, 

 and its flesh is a delight to the palate of an epicure. What sportsman 



