The American Woodcock 83 



knee ; toes, long and cleft to the base with the hindermost ones 

 projecting high up. 



The woodcock is an inhabitant of the middle and eastern 

 part of the United States. It is rare or accidental west of the 

 ninety-seventh degree of longitude and north of eastern Mani- 

 toba, the Great Lakes, Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers. Its 

 true home is in the Mississippi Valley and the northern and 

 middle tiers of the States, where it is found on the springy 

 hillsides and marshy ground along streams where it nests and 

 gets its food. In the winter it is found chiefly in the South 

 Atlantic and Gulf States, particularly in the extreme alluvial 

 tracts of Georgia and Louisiana. 



Dr. A. K. Fisher in his bulletin, Two Vanishing Game 

 Birds, says, "The general appearance of the woodcock 

 clearly suggests its nocturnal or crepuscular habits. During 

 the brightest parts of the day it seldom takes wing unless 

 disturbed, though it may perhaps feed in secluded places dur- 

 ing dark, cloudy weather, or when protected by unusually 

 thick cover. When dusk comes, however, it is all activity, and 

 leaves its hiding place to visit its feeding grounds in marshes, 

 along streams in low meadows, or in fields of growing corn. 

 In favorable localities, the woodcock can be heard at dusk 

 flying back and forth, and occasionally the glimmer of their 

 wings can be seen as they alight in the open. In former days, 

 before they had become scarce, it was a common sight from 

 early twilight until dark to see or hear them flying about the 

 open pastures or springy hillsides of northern New York, nor 

 was it a rare event to flush them from the kitchen garden or 

 barnyard, or even from shrubbery close to the house, where 

 they had come in search of food. Their flight is variable, not 

 only in character, but also in force and swiftness ; at times, 

 when the animal is pursued, its movements are seemingly 

 labored and irregular as it zigzags up toward the tree tops; 

 at other times it has the swift, regular motion characteristic 

 of other members of the group." He shows conclusively 

 that unless strong protective measures are adopted this most 

 popular and valuable of our game birds will soon become 

 extinct. 



They breed throughout; their range, and this makes the 



