THF 



WILSON BULLETIN 



No. 86. 

 A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 

 VOL. XXVI MARCH, 1914. NO. 1 



OLD SERIES VOL. XXVI. NEW SERIES VOL. XXI. 



AN INTIMATE ACQUAINTANCE WITH WOODCOCKS. 



BY GERARD ALAN ABBOTT. 



The woodcock still exists in considerable numbers where 

 favorable conditions for feeding and nesting are to be found 

 in the great lake region. They were probably more numerous 

 fifteen years ago when I first undertook a detailed study of 

 their habits, but a greater time elapsed between finds because 

 I was not "On to their ways." 



Quite a few of us have probably seen a sitting woodcock. 

 They are to be found when scarcely any other birds are 

 involved with the duties of nesting. The find is an impressive 

 one, and each and every naturalist who chances upon a 

 Philohela minor squatting on the leaves is likely to transmit 

 the news to his fellow friends. 



It is not difficult to photograph this bird during the twenty- 

 one days she or her mate may be covering the eggs, and a 

 personal acquaintance may be formed. 



I have probably been among the breeding woodcock at some 

 time or other every hour out of the tw^enty-four, and it was 

 not until I had seen and heard much of them between sunset 

 and sunrise that any feeling of intimacy existed. 



Rarely have I observed "borings" near a sitting bird. The 

 ground they use for nesting purposes is necessarily damp at 



