112 WOODCOCK. 



Chin white. Upper breast ash-grey. Under parts white. Bill 

 black. Legs and feet greenish. Toes lobed. Length 7 in. 

 In winter: forehead, eye-stripe, throat, sides of neck, breast, 

 and under parts white ; feathers of back well margined with 

 chestnut and sometimes with white ; most of wing-coverts 

 tipped with white ; legs and feet bluish grey. Young : rufous 

 margins to feathers of upper parts. Nestling : covered with 

 yellowish brown down, mottled above with dark brown, and 

 with longitudinal stripes ; under parts white. 



Language. A low "wit-wit-wit." 



Habits. Like the last, it swims well, and floats buoyantly 

 on water. On land it trips nimbly about, reminding one of a 

 Wagtail. Tame in disposition. 



Food. Like the last. 



Nest. On the ground, among thick grass, in some swampy 

 place. 



Materials. A few dry grasses. 



Eggs. Four. Pale buff or olive, spotted and blotched with 

 blackish brown. Very pyriform shape. 



WOODCOCK (Scolopax rusticula). 



Migrant ; being most abundant in autumn and winter. A 

 considerable number breed in suitable localities in most coun- 

 ties, but nowhere commonly. 



Haunts. Woods, preferably those in the vicinity of damp 

 places. 



Plumage. Upper parts rich reddish brown, beautifully 

 mottled, barred, and vermiculated with black. Under parts 

 fawn-brown, delicately barred with dark brown. Bill long and 

 tapering, light brown, darker at tip. Legs and feet yellowish 

 brown. Length 14 Jin. Female similar. Young, more barred 

 on rump and tail-coverts. Nestling : covered with fawn-coloured 

 down, striped all down centre of back with chestnut and bor- 

 dered with cream-colour ; black line through eye. 



Language. Two notes one a sharp and the other a deep 

 kind of whistle. 



Habits. Nocturnal, spending the day under some um- 

 brageous bush, coming forth at night with curious zigzagging 

 flight, and probing soft, damp places with its long, sensitive 

 bill for food. Note the backward position of eyes, a provision 

 of Nature enabling the bird to probe in the mud without choking 

 the eyes with it. If danger threatens, the parents will remove 

 their young to a place of safety. 



Food. Worms especially ; also beetles, insects, small Crus- 

 tacea, &c. 



Nest. March or April. One brood. 



