464 



THE WOODCOCK. 



drooping beak was distinctly visible, lie stooped over our heads and ut- 

 tered his " Chic-a ! chic-a !" simultaneously with the " drumming,'* both 

 sounds being distinctly heard at the same time. The first time that we 

 clearly heard the double sound was on June 27th, but we heard it re- 

 peatedly on subsequent occasions. The Snipe remains a long time upon 

 the wing while thus engaged, contrary to its usual habit, which is to fly 

 for a short distance and then to pitch again. 



The nest of the Snipe is a simple heap of leaves placed under the 

 shelter of a tuft of furze, heath or grass, and the eggs are four in num- 

 ber, of an olive-white, spotted and dashed with brown of different tones 

 toward and upon the large end. The mother-bird has been known to 

 carry away her young when threatened by danger. 



The Woodcock is nearly as well known, though not so plentiful, as 

 the snipe, to which bird it bears a considerable resemblance in form, 

 plumage, and many habits. 



Generally it is only a winter visitor, arriving about October, and 

 leaving England in March or April. Sometimes, however, it will 



breed within the British Isles, 

 and there remain throughout 

 the summer. During their mi- 

 gration the Woodcocks fly at a 

 great altitude, and descend al- 

 most perpendicularly Upon the 

 spot where they intend to rest. 

 They fly in companies of vary- 

 ing numbers, and prefer hazy 

 and calm weather for their 

 journey. 



The food of the Woodcock 



consists mostly of worms, which 



\^\^s- it obtains with extraordinary 



,^ skill, thrusting its beak as far 



T, „, , ^, , . , ^ ^^ as the nostrils into the soft moist 



. .IHE Woodcock {Scolopax rusiicola). ,, •> i .^^. ^i i -i 



^ ^ earth, and hitting upon the hid- 



den worms with unerring skill. A tame Woodcock has been seen to 

 probe large turfs with its bill, and to draw out a worm at every thrust 

 of the long slender beak. It is thought that the sense of smell en- 

 ables the bird to discover the worms beneath the surface. It moves 

 about chiefly on misty days, and is said by experienced woodcock- 

 shooters to prefer the northern side of a hill to the southern. 



It is a very silent bird, seldom uttering its cry except when first 

 starting for its feeding-places, and hardly even crying when flushed. 

 The flight of the Woodcock is wonderfully swift, although the wings 

 do not appear to move very fast, and the bird has a custom of jerking 



