210 Allen's naturalist's liijrary. 



Wood-cock seldom flies far; as soon as it finds a suitable cover it 

 drops suddenly into it as if shot. Immediately on their arrival 

 in this country the birds sit very close, and are difficult to flush, 

 and may be found concealed under a hedge or ditch, or even 

 in a field amongst turnips or long dried grass. It is said that 

 on migration they generally fly upward to a considerable 

 height, and that they have been seen to alight after an almost 

 perpendicular descent. Much discussion has taken place as lo 

 the way in which the Wood-cock manages to remove its young, 

 as it is known to do. The late Mr. St. John has stated that 

 many Wood-cock carried their young ones down to the soft 

 feeding-grounds, and brought them back again to the shelter of 

 the woods before daylight, where they remained during the whole 

 day. The nestlings are now believed to be carried between the 

 thighs of the old bird, and held there by the bill of the parent 

 as it flies. 



Nest. — A depression in the ground, plentifully lined with leaves 

 and dead grass. Tlie species is an early breeder, and fresh eggs 

 are procured throughout April, but they have also been found as 

 early as the 3rd of March. Mr. Robert Read observes : — " The 

 Wood-cock will sit very closely on its eggs. I knew of a nest 

 under a juniper bush, in a park beside a path, which was in 

 constant use, but the bird sat there quite undisturbed by the 

 passers-by. The eggs are usually very rounded, but I have a 

 set from Scotland quite pyriform, like those of other Limicolae. 



Eggs. — Four in number, and generally somewhat rounded. 

 The ground-colour varies from stone grey to warm clay-brown, 

 sometimes with a slight olive shade. The spots are reddish- 

 brown, and they are sometimes clustered round the larger end, 

 and form blotches. The underlying spots are purplish-grey, and 

 are occasionally very large, and form as large blotches as the 

 reddish overlying markings. Axis, i"6-i'85 inch; diam., 1*25- 

 1-4. 



THE TRUE SNIPES. GENUS GALLINAGO. 



Gallinago, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. &c. Brit. Mus. p. 30(1816). 



Type, G. major (Gm.). 



There are several differences between the Snipes and 

 Woodcocks ; the principal ones being the length of the inner 



