-■ AMERIC lA' WOCDCOCK. 



Dl.MEXSIUNS. 

 Avjranc mcusurfmenls of specimens from Ru'-tern Novtii America. Leii^'tli, 1110; stretcli, 18"25; wing, 5"25; taii, 

 2 55; bill, 'J 55; tarsus, 1-25. l,nu;;est specimen, II'OO; greatest extent of winj;, li)'55; longest wing, 5 75: tail. 2-60; bill^ 

 i.'-75; tarsus, 1-30. Slicirtest specimer, 1( '50: siuallest extent of wing, 17'00; shortest wing, 4'75; tail, 2'50; bill, 2'45; tar- 

 sus, 1-20. 



DESCTilPTlUN OF NESTS AND ECCS. 

 Kyi/s, placed on the grouuil iu a slight ilepressi(jn of tbesoil, on a. few leaves, etc., tlircf or fonr in number, varying 

 from oval to pyriform in shape, and from creamy to bull' in color, sp.)tted, and blotched irregularly, and quite thickly, with 

 pale reddish-hrowu of varying shades. Dimensions from I'lOx r65 to r2l)x 1'70. 



HABITS. 



Tilt' f'nist has sc-ircely k-Ct the meadows in early spring, before the twittering notes 

 of the Woodcock can be heard as they emerge from some thicket in which they have been 

 hiding all day, and fly rapiiUy to the nearest bog, wllere they usually feed at this season. 

 tShortly after tlieir arrival, they select a suitable locality for breeding, often choosing a 

 slightly cle\ated spot in some swamp, generally in a thicket, and the eggs are deposited by 

 (lie second week in A[)ril. In Florida, where, I am informed by Mr. G. A. Botirdinan, 

 the Woodcocks breetl, the eggs are laid early in February. It is possible that two broods 

 are raised in a season in some sections, for Mr. August Koch showed me a nest containing 

 two eggs, built in a swamp at Williainsport, Pennsylvania, on the twenty-third of May. 

 The female was sitting on the nest and although we approached within a few feet of her, 

 slie did not attempt to lly bnt kept perfectly motionless, evidently trusting to her peculiar 

 ciilors which correspoinl tpiite well with her surroundings, for concealment. The young 

 make their appearance in about four weeks, and the little downy bii'ds run as soon as 

 hatched and are as well skilled in the art of hiding beneath leaves, as young Partridges. 

 They also fly etuly, so that by the time they are two weeks old, it is almost impossible to 

 take one ali\e. The adult and young remain in the low lands until after the moult which 

 takes place late in June. They then enter the corn fields and probe for worms, and later, 

 may be found in birch and other woods, even on hill-tops. 



The method by which the AVoodcooks capture worms, is peculiar and I once kept one 

 alive in a cage made of a packing ease, for some time, so that I had an opportunity of 

 watching it as it fed. At first it was fjuite wild and would rise every time I went near 

 it^, strikiiii;' its head with such force against the roof of its prison, that it would fall back 

 stunned. Td prevent it from injuring itself, I removed the wooden top of the box and sub- 

 stituted some niosquitu iicttiug, against which it cuuld fly without danger of being killed. 

 The flour (if its house was covered to the depth of four or live inches, with dark-colored lotim, 

 iu which I plaulct' a (juantity of weeds, beneath which the Woodcock could hide. I w^ould 

 (ii.i|) a number uf worms on this soil, which, as the bird was too shy to fV^ed at first, had 

 aun.le tinii' tu liury themselves. At tim(>s, however, I was able to wattdi the bird unseen 

 ))V it; tl'icu :h(' Woodi'dck wluclihad ri'inaiued hidden in the corner behind the shelterin<r 

 weeds, would emerge cautiously and walk over the ground, slowly and deliberately, paus- 

 ing every instant or two as if listening intently. Then he would stamp with one foot, giv- 

 ing several sliarp, quick blows, after which he would bow his head near the ground and 

 Then, suddenly, he would turn eitlier to the right or left, or take a step or 



