WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



for nest she has none — in a tuft of heather, or at the foot 

 of a small tree. The eggs are four in number, and resemble 

 those of a plover. They are always placed regularly in the 

 nest, the small ends of the eggs meeting in the centre. 

 When disturbed from her nest, she flutters away like a 

 partridge, pretending to be lame, in order to take the at- 

 tention of the intruder away from her young or eggs. It is 

 a singular, but well-ascertained fact, that woodcocks carry 

 their young ones down to the springs and soft ground 

 where they feed. Before I knew this, I was greatly puzzl- 

 ed, as to how the newly-hatched young of this bird could 

 go from the nest, which is often built in the rankest hea- 

 ther, far from any place where they could possibly feed, 

 down to the marshes. I have, however, ascertained that 

 the old bird lifts her young in her feet, and carries them 

 one by one to their feeding-ground. Considering the ap- 

 parent improbability of this curious act of the woodcock, 

 and the unfitness of their feet and claws for carrying or 

 holding any substance whatever, I should be unwilling to 

 relate it on my own unsupported evidence; but it has been 

 lately corroborated by the observations of several intel- 

 ligent foresters and others, who are in the habit of passing 

 through the woods during March and April. 



Thewoodcock breeds a second time in July and August. 

 I am of opinion that all those which are bred in this coun- 

 try emigrate about the beginning of September, probably 

 about the full moon in that month.* At any rate they en- 



* St John's "opinion" has not been confirmed by the result of experiments which have 

 been carried out at Alnwick Castle for a great number of years. Large numbers of wood- 

 cocks nest in the park there, and many of the young birds ate caught and marked an- 

 nually. In several instances these young birds have been shot in the ensuing winter in 



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