100 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



worms ; indeed, it may swallow almost its own weight of 

 food in the course of a single day. When the blaeberries 

 have ripened, the Woodcock betake themselves to the 

 hillsides and consume great quantities of the fruit. At 

 the present time Woodcock are plentiful in Scotland during 

 the months of spring and summer, and even south of the 

 Border nest in many suitable localities. It is probable 

 that the birds nesting in these Islands do not remain with 

 us through the winter, and that their place is taken by 

 migrants from the north. During the winter the Mediter- 

 ranean basin is the resort of great numbers of Woodcock. 

 These quarters it reaches in early November, and leaves 

 as soon as February, passing through Germany and the 

 British Isles in March or early in April. The return 

 migration takes place mainly in October. Many of the 

 birds cross the North Sea and arrive along the eastern 

 Scottish coasts. They remain here only a short time, 

 and continue their flight westward. Some halt on the 

 western seaboard of Scotland, others continue their way 

 into Ireland, where they remain through the winter. The 

 principal summer home of the Woodcock is the northern 

 portion of the Old World, for it is found extending from 

 Eastern Siberia to the western extremity of Europe. 

 The Woodcock nesting in Kamschatka migrate to Japan 

 with the advent of the cold weather, those frequenting 

 Mongolia to China, while those which have nested in 

 Western Siberia and on the plateau of Thibet move down 

 to Burmah, India, Afghanistan, and Persia. Our own 

 winter visitors are those birds which have bred in Scandi- 

 navia, Finland, and perhaps Russia. Those which press 

 on south past our Islands arrive in Palestine, in North 

 Africa, and in Egypt. Throughout Russia the Woodcock 

 is found nesting, extending, though in diminished numbers, 

 as far south as the Caucasus and the Crimea. It also 

 breeds in Central France and in Northern Italy. Some 



