62 THE BIRDS OF THE WOODS 



remain but a short period in the nest, and are not fed by the old birds, but merely 

 tauo-ht to find their own food. Birds which remain the whole year in the 

 neighbourhood of the nest are called resident species ; those which, except during 

 breeding- time, wander into the neighbouring districts, are called inland migrants; 

 while those that leave their breeding-haunts to visit countries where they find 

 better food at other times of the year, are called migrants, or birds of passage. 



In spite of their distant migration, most of the birds of passage return regularly 

 to their breeding-places, and the majority of birds do not migrate so far as might be 

 expected, considering their powers of flight. Many European birds are spread, not 

 only over the whole of northern Asia, but also over North America, owing to their 

 finding suitable conditions in both hemispheres. And as most countries are suitable 

 for birds of all ways of life, we find everywhere birds-of-pray, perching-birds, 

 wading-birds, and swimming-birds. Many groups of birds are, however, confined 

 to certain districts. Humming-birds, for instance, are peculiarly American; penguins 

 are practically restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, although one species is found 

 in the Galapagos Islands, which lie on the Equator ; and there are no woodpeckers 

 in Australasia, which is the home of the birds-of-paradise. What is essential for 

 the larger groups of birds is repeated in the smaller, so that the physical features 

 of a country are apparent from its birds as well as from its other animals. 



In dealing with the birds of the central European woods we give 

 Woodcock 



first place to the plovers and their allies, forming the group Limicolaj. 



These are distinguished by a fairly long tail, and long and pointed wings which 



extend to the tip of the tail or beyond it, and by their having either a very short 



hind-toe, or none at all. Among these the most important family is that of the 



Charadriidce, the typical section of which includes the plovers themselves. A long, 



thin, soft, and rounded, but not sharp-edged beak distinguishes the snipe group 



(Scolopacince) from the plovers. Woodcock and snipe are also characterised by 



the eyes being placed well back in the hind part of the head ; the true snipe having 



a very long beak, the upper half of which is a little longer than the lower half, 



while the tip is either flattened or soft and button-like. They are birds of compact 



build, with proportionally short and thick necks ; among them the woodcock 



(Scolopax rusticola) is distinguished by the complete feathering of its legs, and the 



shortness of its toes. Only in large woods does the woodcock breed ; but 



it makes no difference whether the trees be deciduous or evergreen. Swampy 



or damp situations are generally chosen, although the bird never lives in 



actual swamps or morasses. Where mossy spots with plenty of shrubs vary 



the monotony of forests that are not too dry, where alder-groves and marshy 



patches are found in leafy woods, there the woodcock makes its haunt, 



choosing the darkest and most sequestered spots. Only in the twilight is it to be 



seen in the clearings and woodland paths, on pastures near the forest, or on marshy 



fields near the edge of the wood. In exceptional cases woodcock may indeed 



be found among high trees, willow groves, gardens, fields, or even, but only for a 



short rest, on barren sand-dunes. Their method of feeding necessitates damp, soft 



ground with little grass and moss, but covered with decaying leaves. Woodcock 



are said to be able to live on bilberries and service berries, but they chiefly 



