12 SCOLOPACIM. 



carry their young in their claws to the nearest spring or 

 green stripe. Various times when the hounds, in beating 

 the ground, have come upon a brood, we have seen the 

 old bird rise with a young one in her claws, and carry 

 it fifty or a hundred yards away ; and if followed to 

 the place where she pitched, she has repeated the trans- 

 portation until too much harassed, One morning, while 

 sitting on a grey stone, I saw a dark eye which was fixed 

 upon mine from the bed of dead leaves before me, when 

 suddenly the little brown head of a young Woodcock 

 peeped out from the feathers of the old one's breast, 

 uttering that plaintive cry for which language has no 

 sign. There were two more young "Woodcocks, and to 

 relieve the anxiety of the madre, I left her. Near the 

 place where I found her, there was a soft green stripe, 

 such as Woodcocks love. I had no doubt that the family 

 would be there next day ; and, as I passed near, I turned 

 aside to see what they were doing. Upon a dry bank, 

 half way down the brae, I almost stumbled over a bird 

 which rose at my feet ; and as it darted through the trees, 

 I saw that it had something in its claws, and, at the same 

 time, I heard the plaintive cry of little Woodcocks just 

 under my feet. I looked down, there were two ; and I 

 thought a hawk had carried off the third, and, perhaps, 

 killed the mother. This, however, I found, on following 

 the bird, was the old Woodcock, which being flushed again 

 suddenly, after a low flight of only a few yards, dropped 

 what it was carrying, her own young Woodcock. I gave 

 her a little time to find him, which was not difficult, as he 

 called to her as loud as his tiny bill could pipe. In a few 

 moments I ran forward, and she rose with him in her feet, 

 her long legs dangling and swinging with her little burden 

 like a parachute. I left her to pursue her flight in peace, 

 and went on my way ; but I have no doubt she went back 



