16 GAME-BIBDS OF INDIA 



Whether its breeding range extends to the east as far as the more 

 lofty ranges of the Naga Hills and Manipur is very doubtful, and 

 there is nothing to show that it breeds in any of the Burmese hill 

 ranges. 



Although so many oologists have taken its eggs in India, 

 there is curiously little on record about its nidification therein. 

 Hume when he wrote the ' Game-Birds ' remarked on this, and 

 noted that of the many who had taken the nests, the only account 

 he possessed was that given him by Anderson, which he quotes as 

 follows : — 



" On the 30th June, I turned my face towards the snows in 

 another direction, determined to consider my expedition a failure so 

 long as the discovery of the breeding haunts of the Woodcock, 

 which was one of its chief objects, still remained unachieved. After 

 two days' stiff marching I pitched camp at a place called Ivemo, at 

 an elevation of some 10,000 feet over and against Namick, which is 

 celebrated for its salt springs. 



" We were following up a huge wounded Prcslnjtes scliistaccus 

 through a dense undergrowth of ringals, when a Woodcock rose 

 close to us, dropping again almost immediately, 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 downivards 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 ther- 

 mometer down to 40" ; but fortunately for us, before we had time 

 to make ourselves comfortable under an adjoining tree, the bird 

 flew back in a sort of semi-circle, alighted, and ran on to her nest. 

 No sooner dow'n than she was off again, frightened, as I subse- 

 quently learnt, by one of our dogs, but which at first thoughts 

 alarmed me not a little, as I thought she was removing her eggs. 

 After having satisfied myself that my suspicions were unfounded, 

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

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

 sidering all the disadvantages which militate against having a snap- 

 shot in dense cover and a thick mist. I never do anything but 

 miss on such critical occasions ; at any rate, I would rather someone 

 else made a mull of it than myself. 



" The eggs were a most beautiful set , . . they are far darker 

 and redder than the usual run of Woodcocks' eggs, all four resem- 



