Minor British Game Birds. 147 



(so to speak) obtrusive. It is not often that a 

 special provision of this kind is injurious to its 

 owner ; but the lustre which beams from the 

 woodcock's eye is apt to betray its presence, and 

 even to negative the advantage of its protective 

 colouring. This has long been known. Hudibras 

 has it that : 



" Fools are known by looking wise, 

 As men find woodcocks by their eyes." 



The woodcock is an early breeder, the eggs 

 being found by the second week in March. 

 These are usually four in number ; and the 

 nest is placed among dry grass, leaves, and 

 fern. The young are able to run imme- 

 diately they are hatched, and are sometimes 

 found with portions of shell adhering to 

 their down. In a few days they are led to the 

 vicinity of water, where they remain until they 

 are able to fly. It is said that a small bank of 

 moss is sometimes constructed by the old birds, 

 upon which worms are placed. In its yielding 

 substance they have their first lesson in boring, 

 and obtain the kind of food which constitutes 

 their chief diet in after life. One of the most 

 interesting traits about the woodcock is the fact 

 of its occasionally conveying its young through 

 the air ; which is done by only one or two other 

 birds. This is no recent discovery. The fact 

 was known as early as the middle of last century; 



L 2 



