BIRDS. 355 



times seen to alter their manners, and to migrate from hence, 

 instead of continuing to breed here ; so we often find the wood- 

 cock, the snipe, and the curlew, reside with lis during the whole 

 season, and breed their young in different parts of the country. 

 In Casewood, about two miles from Tunbridge, as Sir Pennant 

 assures us, some woodcocks are seen to breed annually. The 

 young have been shot there in the beginning of August ; and 

 were as healthy and vigorous as they are with us in winter, 

 though not so well tasted. On the Alps, and other high moun- 

 tains, says Willoughby, the woodcock continues all summer ; I 

 myself have flushed them on the top of Mount Jura, in June 

 and July. The eggs are long, of a pale red colour, and stained 

 with deeper spots and clouds. The nests of the curlew and the 

 snipe are frequently found ; and some of these perhaps never 

 entirely leave this island. 



It is thus that the same habits are, in some measure, common 

 to all ; but in nestling, and bringing up their young, one method 

 takes place universally. As they all run and feed upon the 

 ground, so they are all found to nestle there. The number of 

 eggs generally to be seen in every nest, is from two to four ; 

 never under, and very seldom exceeding. The nest is made 

 without any art ; but the eggs are either laid in some little de- 

 pression of the earth, or on a few bents and long grass, that scarce- 

 ly preserve them from the moisture below. Yet such is the 

 heat of the body of these birds, that the time of incubation is 

 shorter than with any other of the same size. The magpie, for 

 instance, takes twenty-one days to hatch its young ; the lapwing 

 takes but fourteen. Whether the animal oil, with which these 

 birds abound, gives them this superior warmth, I cannot tell ; 

 but there is no doubt of their quick incubation. 



In their seasons of courtship, they pair as other birds ; but 

 not without violent contests between the males, for the choice of 

 the female. The lapwing and the plover are often seen to fight 

 among themselves ; but there is one little bird of this tribe, called 

 the ruff, that has got the epithet of the fighter, merely from its 

 great perseverance and animosity on these occasions. In the 

 beginning of spring, when these birds arrive among our marshes, 

 they are observed to engage with desperate fury against each 

 other : it is then that the fowlers, seeing tbem intent on mutual 

 dtstruction, spread their nets over them, and take them in great 



