THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 189 



had been killed, but averred that several birds had pre- 

 viously been in his possession, precisely similar to this 

 in every respect. It is not a little remarkable that the 

 same gentleman who saw this bird, and unhesitatingly 

 pronounced it an European cock, was informed by a 

 sporting friend that he had seen in'Susquehanna county 

 a cock, which he was satisfied must have measured 

 twenty-five inches in extent, but which he unfortunately 

 missed. There is likewise, at this time, in the city a 

 skull and bill of a woodcock of very unusual dimensions, 

 of which I am promised a sight, and which, from the 

 description, I am well nigh convinced is of the European 

 species. 



It is possible that these birds may have been brought 

 over and kept in confinement, and subsequently escaped, 

 and so become naturalized in America; and yet it is 

 difficult to conceive that persons should have taken the 

 trouble of preserving so stupid and uninteresting a bird 

 as the woodcock in a cage, unless for the purpose of 

 transporting them from one country to another in order 

 to the introduction of new species. 



This might be done very easily with regard to some 

 species, and with undoubted success ; and it has greatly 

 surprised me that it has never been attempted with 

 regard to our American woodcock, which might unques- 

 tionably be naturalized in England with the greatest 

 facility; where it would, I have no doubt, multiply 

 extraordinarily, and become one of the most numerous 



