134 MIGRATION. 



The best authority that we can have for the nidification of 

 the birds above mentioned, in any district, is the testimony 

 of faunists that have written professedly the natural history 

 of particular countries. Now, as to the fieldfare, Linnaeus, 

 in his Fauna Suecica, says of it, that " maximis in arboribus 

 nidificat ;" "it builds in the largest trees." And of the 

 redwing, Jie says in the same place, that " nidificat in mediis 

 arbusculis, sive sepibus : ova sex cceruleo-viridia maculis nigris 

 variis." " It builds in the midst of shrubs or hedges ; it 

 produces six eggs, of a sea-green colour, with varied black 

 spots." Hence we may be assured that fieldfares and red- 

 wings breed in Sweden. Scopoli says, in his Annus Primus, 

 of the woodcock, that " nupta ad nos venit circa ceqininoctium 

 vernale :" "when mated, it comes to us about the vernal 

 equinox ;" meaning in Tyrol, of which he is a native. And 

 afterwards he adds, " nidificat in paludibus alpinis : ova 

 ponit 3 5." " It builds its nest in the Alpine marshes, 

 and lays from three to five eggs." It does not appear from 

 Kramer that woodcocks breed at all in Austria ; but he says, 

 " Avis Jicec septentrionaliuin provinciarmn cestivo tempore 

 incola est ; ubi plerumque nidificat. Appropinquante hyeme 

 australiores provincias petit : nine circa plenilunium potissi- 

 mum mensis Octobris plerumque Austriam transmigrat. Tune 

 rursus circa plenilunium potissimum mensis JMartii per Aus- 

 triam matrimonio juncta ad septentrionales provincias redit" 

 "This bird, in summer, inhabits the northern provinces, 

 where it generally nests. On the approach of winter it 

 seeks more southern provinces; it usually, leaves this at 

 the October full-moon, generally in the direction of 

 Austria. Then it returns back, after mating, generally 

 about the March full-moon." For the whole passage 

 (which I have abridged), see Elenchus, &c., p. 351. This 

 seems to be a full proof of the emigration of woodcocks ; 

 though little is proved concerning the place of their 

 breeding.* 



P.S. There fell in the county of Eutland, in three weeks 

 of this present very wet weather, seven inches and a half of 

 rain, which is more than has fallen in any three weeks for 



* Woodcocks arrive in Silesia about the latter end of April, or beginning of 

 May, and leave it again in October. W. J. 



