WOODCOCK. 3 
periods of the month, but the chief part in November; they 
begin to remove again by the end of February. 
The first flights consist chiefly of females, and _ these 
continuing but a few days, are succeeded by the later ones, 
which are composed principally of males. Upon their first 
arrival, they are frequently so much exhausted that individuals 
have been known to fly against houses, and alight in streets. 
‘During the summer months, this species,’ says Meyer, ‘inhabits 
the northern countries, where it chiefly breeds, and in winter 
the milder regions of the south. Deviations from this general 
rule, however, occur in different parts of the south of Europe, 
where the Woodcock has been found in many instances to 
inhabit the highest woods of the mountains during the 
summer, and to come down into the valleys on the approach 
of winter.’ 
‘It appears that the bird in question is not able to bear 
very cold weather, since it is a rare circumstance to meet 
with one in the depth of our severe winters; but when the 
winter is mild, its occurs throughout the shooting season till 
the spring. Its susceptibility of cold is, doubtless, not the 
oniv reason for the Woodcock forsaking us in severe winters, 
but its difficulty of finding food must be great when the 
water is frozen, and the ground rendered impervious to its 
soft bill when hardened by continued frost. In this is seen 
again the wonderful care of Providence, in instilling that 
instinct into His creatures which enables them to pursue the 
right road towards finding their food under all gradations 
of circumstances.’ 
In crossing the sea in their spring and autumnal migrations, 
Woodcocks fly at a great height, but flocks are seen on the 
land but a little way over the ground. Charles St. John, 
Esq. relates that the master of a ship had observed some of 
these birds, when tired and exhausted, pitch for a moment 
or two with outspread wings, in the wake of the ship, and 
having rested themselves for a few moments, pursue their 
way. As a corroboration of this, 1 may state that it is 
mentioned in Jesse’s ‘Gleanings in Natural History,’ that a 
gentleman having disturbed a Woodcock on the banks of the 
Humber, the bird flew over a sand-bank, and disappeared. 
On following it he observed it securely riding on the waves; 
and it remained there some time as if quite accustomed to 
the sea. On being again disturbed, it rose without effort, 
and flew away. 
