146 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



in many districts of Scotland during the summer months, 

 the Weald of Sussex being- one locality worthy of especial 

 notice as furnishing instances every year of their breeding 

 in this country. 



This bird is to be found in Norway, Lapland, Sweden, 

 Finland, Russia, and Italy, and less commonly in Germany, 

 Switzerland, and France. In certain parts of Asia and 

 Africa it is also met with, and according to Morris, in the 

 Madeira Isles it is " a perennial resident/' 



In its migratory Might the Woodcock generally first 

 visits the east of Scotland and north of England, and the 

 bird is supposed to complete its passage from the shores of 

 the Baltic to our own coasts between sunset and sunrise, 

 and during a north-east wind. The flight during migration 

 has been spoken of as being at a considerable altitude. 

 The numbers in which it arrives vary very considerably. 

 As with many other birds, the sexes separate during, or 

 shortly previous to, migration, the females preceding the 

 males in the selection of their winter quarters. When 

 the weather is mild, the Woodcock often resorts to the 

 open moors or bleak hill-sides ; but immediately the 

 temperature becomes lower, and frost and snow make 

 their appearance, it seeks warmer situations, and betakes 

 itself to woods, copses, and plantations. In choosing 

 these retreats, it evinces a strong partiality for springs, 

 running brooks, low marshy hollows, and spots where 

 furze and thick undergrowths are plentiful. 



The principal food of the Woodcock consists of the 

 earthworms that usually abound in moist grounds; and the 

 places where the birds have been engaged during the night 

 in searching for food may easily be detected by the num- 

 berless perforations left in the soft earth by their long bills. 



