AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 99 



end, and interspersed with others of a very pale purple. 

 The nest of the woodcock has, in several instances that 

 have come to ray 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 early part of 

 the morning, particularly in spring, he rises by a kind 

 of spiral course to a considerable height in the air, 

 uttering at times a sudden quack, till, having gained his 

 utmost height, he hovers around in a wild irregular 

 manner, making a sort of murmuring sound ; then 

 descends with rapidity as he rose. When uttering his 

 common note on the ground, he seems to do it with diffi- 

 culty, thro wing 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 

 favourite female. Their food consists of various larvse, 

 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 falling of the 

 first snows, descend from the ranges of the Alleghany 

 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 

 resembles the woodcock of Europe, but is considerably 

 less, and very differently marked below, being an entirely 

 distinct species. A few traits will clearly point out 

 their differences. 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 European, twelve. The European 

 woodcock makes its first appearance in Britain in, 



