THE WOODCOCK. 37 



The young woodcock, when first hatched, very much 

 resemble bantam chicks, with the exception of their eyes 

 and bills, although even in these respects the difference 

 is not marked. 



The parent birds are very solicitous for their little 

 ones, and when their domain is encroached upon, endeavor 

 by all the arts known to bird-land to attract attention 

 to themselves, with a warning to their downy chicks to 

 drop silently and closely to the ground or to scatter in 

 different directions. 



How her cry causes the little ones to disappear 

 upon an approach! How she flutters and feigns to be 

 lame and wounded, leading you a merry chase, if 

 you will only follow, anywhere, everywhere, through 

 the glades, to guard against any possible danger to her 

 family! 



She will lead you a winding course, and then you see 

 her no more, for having successfully decoyed you, she is 

 off on pinions swift, noiseless, and strong from maternal 

 love. Taking a wide circle in her flight, she returns to 

 the vicinity of her young, and dropping quietly to the 

 ground, listens a little for the step of her pursuer; all is 

 still; her ruse has been successful; not a sound or move- 

 ment, save here and there the song of some forest thrush 

 or sparrow, or the hopping of the tiny wren from bough 

 to bough, either of which contains no terrors for her little 

 ones, who are listening for that call of safety which never 

 yet deceived them. 



The mother's large dark eyes gleam with eagerness, as 

 her low, guttural "peek, peek, peek" draws forth the 

 fainter answers from her little ones, that, rising slowly 

 from the ground, or appearing from under leaf or twig, 

 rush with flapping wings to meet their mother, who, with 

 a tender care that would melt a poacher s heart, guides 

 her fledgelings through all the dangers that beset their 



