The American IVoodcock. 691 





EGG OF WOODCOCK. 



before he so well understood what the opening of his cage door 

 meant, that at the approach of his owner he would run to his " feed- 

 ground " in anticipation of the meal. So eager was he that it 

 was necessary to push him away to the other end of the cage while 

 the- worms were being buried. As soon as he was permitted he 

 would run to the mud and " bore " for the worms. This was a very 

 interesting proceeding. He would push the point of his bill into 

 the earth at an angle of about eighty degrees, and by two or three 

 deliberate thrusts bury it to the base. While doing this the left foot 

 was slightly advanced, and the body somewhat inclined forward. 

 When the bill was wholly buried, he stood for a few seconds perfectly 

 still, as if listening. Perhaps he was doing so; but it seems more 

 probable that he was waiting to see if he could perceive any move- 

 ment in the earth near his bill. If none was felt he would withdraw 

 his probe and thrust it in again a little further on. If, however, he 

 detected any movement, the beak was hastily withdrawn, rapidly 

 plunged in again in a slightly different direction, and the unfortunate 

 w«»rm was brought to the surface and devoured with evident satis 

 >n. When the supply of worms was exhausted the bird caw 

 fully cleansed the mud from his bill by means of his feet and, after 

 giving himself a shake or two, retired to the farthest corner of his 

 cage, buried his long beak among the feathers of his back and set- 

 tled himself for a quiet after-dinner nap. Sometimes he would 

 thrust his bill down among the moss once or twice, and then walking 

 to his water-dish would wash it by slowly moving his. head from 

 to side. After he had been confined for over a month, the 

 worms (ml to the bird during twenty-four consecutive hours were 

 counted and weighed, and he was found to have eaten two hundred 

 worms, weighing five and one-quarter ounces. At the end of this 



