342 THE WOODCOCK. 



has, in several instances that have come to my knowledge, 

 been found with eggs in February ; but its usual time of 

 beginning to lay, is early in April. In July, August, 

 and September, they are considered in good order for 

 shooting. 



The Woodcock is properly a nocturnal bird, feeding 

 chiefly at night, and seldom stirring about till after sunset. 

 At such times, as well as in the earl^i part of the morning, 

 particularly in spring, he rises by ajdnd of spiral course, 

 to a considerable height in the air, uttering at times a sud- 

 den quack, till having gained his utmost height, he hovers 

 around in a wild irregular manner, making a sort of mur- 

 muring sound ; then descends with rapidity as he rose. 

 When uttering his common note on the ground, he seems 

 to do it with difficulty, throwing his head towards the 

 earth, and frequently jetting up his tail. These notes and 

 manoeuvres are most usual in spring, and are the call of 

 the male to his favorite female. Their food consists of 

 the various larvae, and other aquatic worms, for which, 

 during the evening, they are almost continually turning 

 over the leaves with their bill, or searching in the bogs. 

 Their flesh is reckoned delicious, and prized highly. 

 They remain with us till late in autumn ; and on the fall- 

 ing of the first snows, descend from the ranges of the Alle- 

 ghany, to the lower parts of the country, in great numbers ; 

 soon after which, viz., in November, they move off to the 

 south. 



This bird, in its general figure and manners, greatly re- 

 sembles the Woodcock of Europe, but is considerably less, 

 and very differently marked below, being an entirely dis- 

 tinct species. A few traits will clearly point out their dif- 

 ferences. The lower parts of the European Woodcock are 

 thickly barred with dusky waved lines, on a yellowish 

 white ground. The present species has those parts of a 

 bright ferruginous. The male of the American species 

 weighs from five to six ounces, the female eight ; the Euro- 



