V ?So4 CI J B REWSTER > Notes and Song-Flight of the Woodcock. 2GCJ 



and is open pasture land with a few scattered red cedars and 

 ground junipers and occasional patches of hazel bushes. The 

 peeping ground is in a hollow on the edge of a hazel thicket. 

 The bird usually alights in an opening where close-cropped turf 

 (now of a bleached straw color) alternates with patches of gray 

 reindeer moss or dark green pasture moss. 



The entire space embraced in the peeping ground would not 

 exceed half an acre. Mr. Faxon saw the bird alight several 

 times, on the night of the 5th, in the same place, but last evening 

 and this morning he chose a different spot each time. The 

 entire peeping ground, as well as the whole top of the hill, is 

 perfectly hard and dry. Three sides of the hill are covered witli 

 second growth oak and birch woods, which appear to be also 

 dry beneath. At the base of the hill on two sides, however, the 

 land is wet and swampy. 



We searched the 'peeping ground' carefully for Woodcock 

 droppings but could find no trace of them. On April 11, Mr. 

 Faxon searched it again without discovering a single 'chalking.' 



Lexington, Mass., April, ij, 1891, — To the hill with Mr. 

 Faxon at 6.30 p. m. Evening clear and warm (thermometor 6o° 

 at sunset, 62 at noon) with light west wind changing to south- 

 west just after sunset. The Woodcock began peeping at 6.44. 

 ('Last night he began at 6.30 and night before last at 6.40, both 

 of these evenings being cloudy.' — Faxon.} He continued peep- 

 ing nine minutes before making his first ascent, and made in all 

 six ascents. ('Fifteen ascents were noted one evening last 

 week.' — Faxon.) Two flights, which I timed from the start 

 to the finish, lasted respectively 57 and 59 seconds, the song 1 1 

 and 12 seconds respectively. During the first ascent I ran to the 

 peeping-place and sat down on the ground behind a large rock. 

 The bird alighted on a little knoll covered with reindeer moss 

 just nine paces from me. There was absolutely nothing between 

 us, the rock being in front of me and the Woodcock on my 

 right. For a moment he stood motionless and silent, then 

 began peeping. I turned so as to face him, at the same time 

 raising my glass. He evidently saw me, for he stopped peeping 

 and uttered the pH-ul a number of times in succession, but soon 

 after 1 had settled myself in the new position, he began peeping 

 again and showed no further signs of alarm or suspicion. For 



