GAME BIRDS. 129 



THE WOODCOCK 



Is a native of the northern latitudes of Europe and Asia j its 

 migratory range is very extensive, extending to Italy, Madeira, 

 Barbary, Greece, Aleppo, and Egypt ; it has been noticed in 

 Cashmere and Japan. It breeds in Russia, Finland, Norway, 

 Sweden, Siberia, &c., and also in Great Britain ; in Ireland, the 

 young have been found in the counties of Wicklow, Wexford, 

 Carlow, Queen's County, Down, and Antrim ; and young birds 

 have lately been in the possession of Lord De Vesci, Lord Roden, 

 Colonel Graves, and Mr. Alcock, of Wilton, county Wexford. 

 The female builds a rude nest, on the ground, and generally lays 

 four or five eggs, larger than those of a pigeon, of a rusty gray 

 colour ; the young leave the nest as soon as they are freed from 

 the shell, attended by the parent birds, until they can provide for 

 themselves ; if a brood is disturbed, and cannot fly, the old birds 

 take the young ones separately between their feet, and fly from 

 the dogs, with a moaning cry. 



The first flight of woodcocks from the north to our island, 

 generally occurs towards the end of September or beginning of 

 October ; but these flocks, after remaining a short time, wing 

 their way to the more southern regions of Europe and northern 

 Africa, a few stragglers only remaining behind, which are after- 

 wards joined by other arrivals during the latter part of October, 

 November, and December. They generally come over in hazy 

 weather, with little wind, and that blowing from the north-east. 

 Their favourite haunts are woods, moist thickets, close breaks, 

 glens, and similar places, where they remain concealed during 

 the day ; but as soon as darkness sets in, they leave their re- 

 treats, and scatter themselves over moist meadows and swampy, 

 open grounds, where they search for food namely, slugs, insects, 

 and especially worms, thrusting their bill into the earth, and 

 drawing forth their prey. They move northward the latter end 

 of February. They have been known to settle on ships at sea, 

 and are particularly attracted by a glare of light : instances have 

 occurred at the Cromer and Eddiston light-houses of their falling 

 victims to it ; at the light-house upon the hill of Howth, county 

 Dublin, the lamp-trimmer was surprised by a violent stroke 

 against the windows, which broke a pane of plate-glass, more 

 than an eighth of an inch in thickness. On examining the bal- 

 cony that surrounded the light, he found a woodcock, which had 

 flown with such violence as to break his bill, head, breast- bone, 



