THE WOODCOCK 295 



(p. 273), but special mention may be paid here to the marvellous way 

 in which the coloration of the plumage harmonises with the bird's 

 surroundings. Mr. H. B. Macpherson, in some interesting notes 

 contributed to the pages of Country Life during 1908, makes some 

 valuable observations on the brooding habits of the woodcock. " Its 

 hearing is abnormally acute," he writes, " and the first unusual sound 

 has the effect of keeping the bird in whatever position it may happen 

 to be, a repetition of the noise causing it to lower itself gradually to 

 the ground, the bill pressed into the moss and the body extended flat 

 on the ground, the tail also being lowered." For some hours every 

 day during a whole week this bird was kept under observation. 

 " During the severe frosts towards the close of April she stuck to her 

 post with marvellous fortitude, though other birds were deserting 

 their nests all around. When leaving the nest she made no attempt 

 to conceal the eggs, the dead leaves of the birch and poplar which 

 surrounded them making this precaution quite unnecessary. . . . Her 

 absence from the nest during the day became more prolonged as incuba- 

 tion proceeded. On one occasion she was feeding and preening herself 

 for three hours and a half close to my shelter; but this seeming 

 carelessness had no ill-effect whatever upon the eggs, three- oui-af 

 four being successfully hatched. On one occasion she found a worm 

 and devoured it leisurely, with beak turned skywards, but for the 

 most part her diet consisted of such minute creatures that they were 

 invisible at a distance. Of these she evidently found a plentiful 

 supply among the dead leaves and bracken, although the weather was 

 bitterly cold. At intervals she would come and inspect the eggs to 

 see that all was safe, and, satisfied, would again resume her feast. 

 On occasion she would disappear entirely, no doubt for water, there 

 being little in the vicinity. When coming to the nest the woodcock 

 approaches cautiously, listening for the least sound which may betray 

 the presence of an intruder. If satisfied, she fluffs up her tail feathers 

 over her back, and settles on to the eggs. . . . She then gradually 

 lowers the tail, sinking down contented to the usual position." 



