180 THB WOODCOCK. 



mth little art, of such withered leaves and old grass ta the 

 convenience of the place affords ; the eggs are four, rather 

 large, of a dark yellowish-white approaching olive, specked 

 and confluently blotched with three slightly different shades 

 of dark yellowish-brown spots, most numerous at the greater 

 end. Eggs have been found, even in Massachusetts, in 

 sheltered woods, as early as the month of February; but 

 the usual time, according to the age and general appear- 

 ance of the young, is not before the commencement of 

 April. 



At this time, in the morning, as well as evening, but more 

 particularly the latter, the male, in the vicinity of hie mate 

 and aest, rises successively in a spiral course, like a lark. 

 While ascending he utters a hurried and feeble warble ; but 

 in descending the tones increase as he approaches toTarda 

 the ground, and then, becoming loud and sweet, passee into 

 an agreeable, quick, and tumultuous song. As soon as the 

 performer descends, the sound ceases for a moment, when 

 with a sort of stifled utterance, accompanied by a stiff and 

 balancing motion of the body, the word hlaikf and some- 

 fcimos jpaip paip is uttered. This uncouth and guttural 

 bleating seems a singular contrast to the delightful seretade, 

 of which this is uniformly the close. 



I heard this piping and bleating (says Mr. Nuttall) i? . the 

 marshes of West Cambridge, on the 15th of April, and Jiey 

 had arrived about the first week in that month. This aoc- 

 tumal music continued at regular intervals^ and in su fe»- 



