86>. FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



horizontal flight, however, renders it no difficult mark to the 

 sportsman, particularly when assisted by his sagacious pointer. 

 The flesh of this bird is peculiarly white, tender and delicate, 

 and unequalled by that of any other of its genus in the United 

 States. There is only one species of Quail at present known 

 within the United States." — Wilson'^s Am. Ornithology. 



THE WOODCOCK. 



Scolopax Minor. — La Becasse (PAmerique — Brissot. The Mud- 

 Snipe., Blind Snipe J Big-headed Snipe, Bog- Sucker. 



"Male, 11.16. Female, llTi.l7i. 



" Distributed throughout the country, extremely abundant in 

 the Middle and Eastern Districts, as well as in the interior, 

 where it breeds as far as Nova Scotia. Equally abundant in 

 winter, in the Southern States, though many migrate Southward. 



" Adult Male. 



" Bill double the length of the head, straight, slender, taper- 

 ing, sub-trigonal, and deeper than broad at the base, slightly 

 depressed toward the end. Upper mandible, with the dorsal 

 line straight ; the ridge narrow, toward the end flattened ; the 

 sides nearly erect, sloping outward toward the soft, obtuse 

 edges ; the tip blunt, knob-like, and longer than that of the 

 lower mandible. Nostrils basal, lateral, lineal, very small. 

 Lower mandible broader than the upper ; the angle very long 

 and narrow, the dorsal line straight, the back broadly rounded, 

 the sides marked with a deep groove, sloping inward at the 

 base, outward toward the end, the edges soft and obtuse, the 

 tip rounded. 



" Head rather large, oblong, narrowed anteriorly ; eyes large, 

 and placed high. Neck short and thick. Body rather full. 

 Feet rather short ; tibia feathered to the joint ; tarsus rather 

 short, compressed, covered in front by numerous scutella ; on 

 the sides and behind with sub-hexagonal scales, and having a 

 row of small scutelliform scales along the outer side behind. 

 Toes free, slender, the first very small, the second slightly 



