INCUBATION. 193 



it is certain that these actions of theirs are preparatory 

 to tlie matrimonial act, and are to be looked on as an 

 evidence of tlie modesty witli whicli the female meets 

 the liold advances of her lover; for when the pairing 

 seasdn is over, one not unfrequently observes Woodcocks 

 to meet, whilst 'roding,' without pursuing one another. ' 



The Woodcock is an early breeder. Some, indeed, 

 say it pairs before returning to Scandinavia in tlie spring. 

 And they may be in degree right ; for on their first 

 arrival one often finds these birds in couples. We read, 

 moreover, of well-developed eggs being then found 

 in the female. She makes her nest — a mere hollow 

 in the moss or heather — under a bush or tussock, and 

 lays three or four eggs of a dirty yellow-green colour, 

 marked with large and dark-brown spots pretty equally 

 distributed over the whole surface. They are one inch 

 eight or nine lines in length, and one inch four lines 

 in tliickuess. 



The young are usually hatched about the end of May. 

 The Count Corfitz Beckfriis informs us, indeed, that, in the 

 province of Sodermanland, a young Woodcock was taken 

 on the 11th of May, so well grown as already to have 

 blood-feathers in its wings. Thoiigh it has been con- 

 fidently stated to the contrary, it is now, I believe, pretty 

 well ascertained that the Woodcock only breeds once 

 within the year. 



The mother, as with the Partridge and some other birds, 

 is very careful of her nest and young. When a dog or 

 other animal approaches them, she conducts herself in 

 sucli a manner as to lead him to suppose that she is 

 wounded, and unable to make her escape from him. 

 She either runs to and fro before him with expanded tail 

 and drooping wings, or she flies almost in his face, with 

 her head and legs hanging downwards, until such times 

 as she has succeeded in luring him to a distance from her 



o 



