WOODCOCK. 5 



"'We were following up a huge wounded Preshytis sclnstaceus (I Avas 

 anxious to compare it with the Central-Indian form) through a dense undergrowth 

 of Ringalls, when a Woodcock rose close to us, dropping again almost immediately, 

 and disappearing in the cover. A diligent search revealed the long-looked-for 

 prize, four eggs, which were deposited in a slight depression in the damp soil, and 

 embedded amongst a lot of wet leaves, the thin ends pointing inwards and 

 downwards into the ground. 



" 'The eggs found (I could see they were hard-set), I told Triphook I had no 

 intention of leaving the place without bagging the bird. It was raining heavily 

 and bitterly cold, with the thermometer down to 40°; but, fortunately for us, 

 before we had had time to make ourselves comfortable under an adjoining tree, 

 the bird flew back in a sort of semicircle, alighted, and ran on to her nest. No 

 sooner down than she was off" again, frightened, as I subsequently learnt, at one of 

 our dogs, but which at first thought alarmed me not a little, as I imagined she was 

 removing her eggs. After having satisfied myself that my suspicious were 

 unfounded, it was decided that, as I had done my duty in finding the nest, 

 shooting the bird should devolve on Triphook, and right well he did it, 

 considering all the disadvantages which militate against having a snap shot in 

 dense cover and in a thick mist. I never do anything but miss on such critical 

 occasions ; at any rate I would rather some one else make a mull of it than myself! 



" ' The eggs, as before mentioned, are a most beautiful set ; in consequence 

 of the advanced state of incubation, it was a full month before they were made 

 into good specimens ; a week later and the chicks would have been hatched. 

 They are far darker and redder than the usual run of Woodcocks' eggs, all four 

 resembUng the second figiure in Hewitson's work, and in the character of their 

 markings they are not unlike richly coloured specimens of some Terns' eggs. 

 They are remarkable for the roundness of their form, and in having none of the 

 pyriform or pear-shaped character which distinguishes the eggs of all allied 

 species.' " 



Mr. Seebohm says the eggs of the Woodcock vary in length from 1-8 to 1-6 

 inch, and in breadth from 1'4 to 1'3 inch.* 



Mr. H. E. Dresser states that eggs of this species in his collection vary from 

 1-77 by 1-32 inch to 1-7 by 1-3 inch.f 



* ' History of British Birds,' vol. iii. p. 235. 



t ' History of the Birds of Europe,' vol. vii. p. 624. 



