BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



frequently arrived in some district just in time 

 to check the devastations of a plague of grass- 

 hoppers, or some other injurious insects de- 

 structive to vegetation. 



The Woodcock would be with us now in all 

 our woods and swamps had it been protected. 

 "It is the game bird" writes one ornithologist. 

 This is the reason of its going. That it is mi- 

 gratory makes its protection a very difficult 

 matter. The Woodcocks may fly away in the 

 autumn and not be alive to return in the spring. 

 They are sometimes called Night Pecks or Bog 

 Birds. That is because they thrust their long 

 beaks into the soft earth for worms. The 

 beaks are perfectly straight and longer than the 

 head, soft and very sensitive. They seem to 

 know by feeling the earth with their beaks in 

 just what particular spot they will get the 

 worms. 



The eggs, usually four, are laid, in most 

 places, before the end of April, earlier by those 

 that nest farther south. Their nests are on 

 the ground among the leaves and sticks. When 

 danger threatened their little ones the Wood- 

 cock have been known to carry them away by 

 holding them with their feet as they flew. 

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