WOODCOCK-SHOOTING. 93 



riety found in these countries differs in its habits some- 

 what from the English and American varieties, while 

 it is much larger than the American bird and about 

 the size of the English. According to Mr. L. Lloyd, 

 in his work on the game-birds of Northern Europe, 

 its usual length is fourteen inches, the expanse of its 

 wings two feet and one inch, and its weight from 

 twelve to fourteen ounces. * 



Varieties of woodcock are not uncommon in Swe- 

 den and Denmark. In these countries they are fre- 

 quently found of a yellowish-white color, or with the 

 head and wings white, or with white spots on the head 

 and wings ; and sometimes they are found entirely 

 white. They sometimes resort to regions of high ele- 

 vation, and have been found in districts at least 3,800 

 feet above the level of the sea. 



It has been noted as a peculiarity of the Scandina- 

 vian bird, that, in the morning and evening during the 

 spring and summer, prior to going to its feeding-grounds 

 and returning to cover, It always flies several times 

 backwards and forwards over precisely the same line 

 of country. These nights often extend to a distance 

 of seven miles and occupy about a quarter of an hour 

 each way. It is generally admitted that these nights 

 are connected with, or peculiar to, the pairing season, 

 inasmuch as during autumn and midwinter they are 

 not continued. 



During the morning and evening nights the bird 

 gives utterance to a peculiar call-note, which sports- 

 men express by knort, knort, knisp, or pisp. The 

 knort is a hollow, coarse, and somewhat lengthened na- 



