THE WOODCOCK. 223 



It is not, however, with the question of nesting 

 that we are now concerned, but with the singular 

 habit which this bird has of carrying its young 

 under certain circumstances a habit which has 

 been placed beyond doubt by the testimony of 

 many competent observers, and which has been 

 very beautifully depicted by Mr. Wolf in the accom- 

 panying illustration. The observation of this habit 

 is by no means new. Scopoli, in his Annus Primus 

 Historico -Naturalis, long ago remarked upon it, 

 and several writers since his time have discussed 

 the subject. Gilbert White, on reading Scopoli's 

 statement " pullos rostro port at fugiens ab hoste" 

 was incredulous. " But candour," he added, " forbids 

 me to say absolutely that any fact is false, because 

 I have never been witness to such a fact. I have 

 only to remark that the long unwieldy bill of the 

 Woodcock is perhaps the worst adapted of any 

 among the winged creation for such a feat of natural 

 affection." Had Scopoli omitted the word "rostro" 

 his statement might have been less open to criticism, 

 the fact being that not one of the subsequent 

 observers who have confirmed his assertion that 

 Woodcocks do carry their young, agrees with him 



