8O ON THE WING. 



eluded places, under thick pines, and near a spring or 

 stream of water, where often it would seem impossible 

 for him to exist. This bird is thus an early immigrant. 

 I recollect seeing one killed once under peculiar cir- 

 cumstances. It was about the 25th of February, while 

 I was hunting rabbits in the woods, the snow lying 

 several inches thick on the ground. On my way 

 home toward night I was discussing with a brother 

 Nimrod the probabilities of woodcock coming North 

 so early in the season. My companion remarked that 

 he did not suppose there was one to be found within 

 the range of a hundred miles from us, when sud- 

 denly up sprang a cock with his sharp ring, as much 

 as to say : " Here you have one, any way ! " We 

 had our guns on our shoulders, and our hands well 

 gloved, for it was quite cold. My companion was able 

 to get his gun on the bird first, and he knocked him 

 over. It was a large framed bird, but quite poor. We 

 should not, under ordinary circumstances, have shot 

 him ; but coming upon him so unexpectedly, and at 

 such an untimely season, we could not but think that 

 he was in a measure sent for our especial benefit. 



Woodcock make their nests in the woods, often 

 in wet, boggy places, on the ground, exposed to the 

 rains, which often destroy them. They have generally 

 five young in their broods, and hatch them out by the 

 middle of May. It is generally believed that, when 

 their nests or eggs are destroyed by water or otherwise, 

 they build and lay again later in the season } and the 

 difference in the size of the birds in the month of July 

 warrants such a belief. Their eggs are of a dull cream- 



