172 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



departing again in spring, yet many remain to breed, and 

 during the present year we have known two nests, contain- 

 ing eggs, discovered in the New Forest ; while at different 

 periods the nests of this species have been found in very 

 many parts of England and Scotland. The Woodcock rests 

 by day, but when the twilight arrives its activity commences, 

 and it is busily employed in the search for food. Worms it 

 will devour in great quantities, also slugs and insects are 

 sought after as food, and it has been remarked, that with 

 the food great quantities of sand are received into the sto- 

 mach. The Woodcock migrates in the night. Its distri- 

 bution is very extensive, not only through the British 

 Islands, but it has been found from India to Madeira, and 

 from the African coast to regions beyond the Arctic Circle. 

 Its plumage we always admire, as being, though chaste, of 

 surpassing richness and beauty. The nest is placed on the 

 ground, and is loosely formed of grass and leaves, while the 

 eggs are four in number, of a pale brown, but handsomely 

 spotted and marked with deeper tints of brown and grey ; 

 they vary occasionally very considerably in form, even when 

 taken from the same nest, and much of the first beauty of 

 the egg, as in the case of some others, soon fades and dis- 

 appears. We have sometimes seen eggs of the Woodcock 



