496 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



down tufts prevent any chance of confusion with 

 that duck. Size about 2.2 by 1.5 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. A winter visitor, generally arriving 

 in September or October, and departing north in 

 March or April. Notes : a shrill whistle, sounding 

 like " whee you!' Local and other names : Whew 

 Duck, Whewer, Pandle Whew, Yellow Poll, Easter- 

 lings, Whim. A fairly close sitter, although diffi- 

 cult to photograph on the nest. Our initial to this 

 article was secured by building a stone hiding house 

 close by the nest. 



WOODCOCK. 



(Scot op ax rusticula.) 

 Order LIMICOL^: ; Family SCOLOPACID.E (SNIPES). 



Description of Parent Birds. 

 Length about fifteen inches. 

 Bill long, straight, dark brown 

 at the tip, and pale reddish- 

 brown at the base. Irides dark 

 brown. A dark streak of brown 

 extends from the gape to the 

 eye. Head and upper-parts a 

 mixture of rusty-brown, black, 

 and grey, which occur in each 

 feather and produce a hand- 

 somely variegated effect. 

 Cheeks and the whole of the 



under-parts yellowish-white, numerously barred with 



dark wavy lines. Legs and toes brown ; claws black. 

 The female is similar in plumage to the male, 



but both are subject to great variation in size and 



colour. 



