The American Woodcock 315 



of four youngsters, but I have good reason to 

 believe that I have seen one carried off. The 

 nest in question was on a bit of level ground amid 

 tall trees. The sole suggestion of cover was a 

 lot of flattened leaves which lay as the snow had 

 left them. Perhaps ten yards away was an old 

 rail fence about waist-high, and on the farther 

 side of it was a clump of tall saplings. A man 

 coming out of the wood told me he had just 

 flushed a woodcock and had seen her brood, re- 

 cently hatched, and pointed out where they were. 

 I went in to investigate, and located one young 

 bird crouched on the leaves. It ran a few steps 

 and again crouched, evidently not yet strong 

 enough for any sustained effort. I went off, and 

 hid behind a stump, to await developments. 

 From this shelter the young bird was visible and 

 it made no attempt to move. Presently the old 

 one came fluttering back, alighted near the young- 

 ster, and walked to it. In a few moments she 

 rose and flew low and heavily, merely clearing 

 the fence, and dropping perhaps ten yards within 

 the thicket. Her legs appeared to be half-bent, 

 and so far as I could determine the youngster was 

 held between them. Something about her ap- 

 pearance reminded me of a thing often seen a 

 shrike carrying off a small bird. I carefully 

 marked her down, then glanced toward where 

 the youngster had been. It was no longer there ; 



