WOODCOCK 271 
It is a well-established fact that the female often bears 
away her chicks, one by one (held between her legs as she 
flies), from the locality in which they were hatched. | 
believe the young are thus conveyed to damper situations to 
enable them to learn to feed for themselves. In other 
words, the Woodcock transports its offspring to the haunts 
which it is wont to visit nightly in search of food. For 
it should be borne in mind that this is primarily a wading 
and marsh-frequenting species, which resorts to the drier 
cover of wooded districts simply to sleep and rest. The 
young are also carried off by the parent on the approach of 
danger, even when they are considerably grown. Incuba- 
tion begins in April, less often in the latter end of March ; 
two broods are usually produced in the season. 
Geographical distribution.—Beyond our Isles the Wood- 
cock nests over the greater part of the Kuropean Continent, 
as far north as Scandinavia, though it is not found in Ice- 
land. Hastward, this species breeds in T'emperate and 
Northern Asia, also in parts of North Africa and the 
adjoining Islands. Numbers reach India in the winter. 
Stragglers have been recorded from North America. 
DESCRIPTIYE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial.—The general coloration 
of the plumage may be described as a handsome variegated 
pattern of rich chestnut-grey, and blackish markings. On 
the top of the head and on the hind-neck the black takes 
the form of broad bands, separated by narrow light grey 
stripes; tail-feathers, chiefly black, notched on the outer 
webs with rufous, banded on their upper surface with dull 
silver-grey, and on the under surface with white; primaries, 
barred on their outer webs with chestnut and black; there 
is a considerable amount of chestnut and black about the 
middle of the back and on the scapulars ; cheeks and throat, 
whitish-grey, a dark curved line stretches from the eye to 
the gape of the beak; front of neck, breast, abdomen, and 
flanks, barred alternately with light and dark markings ; 
under tail-coverts, chiefly warm buff, with dark brown 
‘arrow-headed ’ centres. 
Adult female nuptial—Similar to the male plumage. 
Adult winter, male and female.—Similar to the nuptial 
plumage. 
