THE WOODCOCK. 



This bird has a long, slender, straight bill. The nostrils are 

 linear, and lodged in a furrow. The head is intirely covered 

 with feathers. The feet have four toes, the hind one of which 

 is very short, and consists of several joints. The female wood- 

 cock may be distinguished from the male by a narrow stripe of 

 white along the lower part of the exterior veil of the outermost 

 feather of the wing. The same part in the outermost feather of 

 the male is elegantly and regularly spotted with black and red- 

 dish white. In the bastard wing of both is a small-pointed, 

 narrow feather, very elastic, and much sought after by painters, 

 as it makes a good pencil. 



The woodcock, during summer, is an inhabitant of Norway, 

 Sweden, Lapland, and other northern countries, where it breeds. 

 But when winter approaches, the severe frosts of those northern 

 latitudes, by depriving it of food, force it southwards to milder 

 climates. These birds arrive in Great Britain in flocks ; some- 

 times as early as September, but not in great numbers till 

 November and December. They generally take advantage of 

 the night, being seldom seen to come before sun' set. The time 

 of their arrival depends much upon the prevailing winds ; for, 

 as they are unable to struggle with the boisterous gales of the 

 northern ocean, they wait for the advantage of a favourable 

 wind. When they have had bad weather to encounter on their 

 passage, they are frequently so much exhausted on their arrival 

 as to remain on the same spot many hours, almost helpless, and 

 much reduced in flesh, by the fatigue of their voyage. In very 



