BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 79 



branes or basal webs. Bill (five specimeus measured) over 2i inches long, straight 

 and tapering, and stout at base ; the ridge at base of maxilla is high ; the upper man- 

 dible, a little longer than the lower, is knobbed at end. Three long grooves, one on 

 ridge above, and others on each side of maxilla ; gape short and narrow. The sexes 

 are alike, but female is larger than male. 



Adult. Length 10 to 12 inches ; extent 16 to 18 inches ; eyes brown ; weight varies 

 from 4 to 9 ounces. Legs and bill (dried skin) pale brownish. Upper parts black, 

 gray, russet and brown ; chin whitish, rest of under parts brownish-red color of dif- 

 ferent shades. 



Habitat. Eastern province of North America, north to the British provinces, west 

 to Dakota, Kansas, etc., breeding throughout its range ; no extralimital records. 



This bird, well known to sportsmen, is frequently confounded by the 

 casual observer with the Wilson's Snipe. The error, however, can readily 

 be avoided if you bear in mind that the woodcock has entire lower parts, 

 including lining of wings, reddish-brown ; on the other hand, the snipe 

 has abdomen white, throat and upper parts of the breast speckled and 

 the lining of the wings barred with white and black. The woodcock 

 arrives in Pennsylvania about the middle of March, sometimes earlier, 

 and occasionally a few are found during the "warm-spells" of winter 

 lingering about the spring-heads. This bird, strictly speaking, is an 

 inhabitant of the lowlands and boggy districts of our woods and dense 

 thickets. Oftentimes during the fall migrations it is found along the 

 muddy shores of streams, etc., or in the late summer when its usual 

 feeding-grounds have become dry and hard through the continued sum- 

 mer's heat, it resorts to corn fields where it probes the humid soil in search 

 of food. I am not positive that the " Wood-hen, as some aesthetic market- 

 women prefer to call her," makes any attempt to build a nest. In April, 

 on three occasions, I have found eggs, and once (May 10) took four 

 young, but a few days old, all of which were on the ground in the woods. 

 The eggs were deposited in slight depressions in the earth, in and about 

 which were dried leaves ; the young birds were discovered on a lot of 

 dead oak-leaves, and from the appearance of their bed I judge they had 

 been there only a short time. It is stated by Dr. Coues " that the young 

 are sometimes removed from danger by the parents carrying them with 

 the feet." The eggs, generally four in number, are grayish- white or 

 buff, spotted with brownish and purplish-gray. The woodcock is prin- 

 cipally nocturnal in its habits, and during the fall migrations it is often 

 found in considerable numbers in favorite resorts. 



Nuttall says : "According to their usual habits, they keep secluded in 

 the woods and thickets till the approach of evening, when they sally 

 forth to seek out springs, paths and broken soil, in quest of worms and 

 other insects, on which they feed. They now disperse themselves over 

 the country to breed, and indicate their presence in all directions by the 

 marks of their boring bills, which are seen in such soft and boggy places 

 as are usually sheltered by thickets and woods. They also turn over 

 the fallen leaves from side to side with their bills in quest of lurking in- 

 sects, but never scratch with their feet, though so robust in appearance. 



