THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 233 



the wing unalarmed they rarely elevate themselves above 

 the tops of the neighboring trees, and are seldom seen be- 

 fore sunset or after sunrise, unless driven from their bow- 

 ery, shady retreats. The descriptions of ground which 

 they prefer are moist bottoms, close covered woods of 

 second-growth timber and evergreen shrubs, or dry ridges 

 of maple, oak, and beech, where they turn over the decay- 

 ing leaves in search of insects. Although, as I have stated, 

 these birds have a strong dislike to taking flight in the 

 glaring light of day, yet, in searching for them, you will al- 

 ways find more success attend your pursuit upon those 

 declivities that receive the warm, genial rays of the sun. 

 In spring, when the woodcock are on their migratory jour- 

 ney north from their winter residence, they travel singly, 

 but are followed in rapid succession by others ; consequent- 

 ly, where one day not a single specimen could be seen, the 

 day after they will abound. This has given rise to the 

 erroneous impression that they go in flocks; but during 

 many years' experience I never saw over two or three on 

 the wing at the same time, and then it occurred through 

 the birds having paired, or two or more being flushed from 

 a favorite haunt. From what I can learn, I am led to be- 

 lieve that Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Maine are 

 their principal breeding-places, although annually numbers 

 take up their temporary quarters in the Middle States of 

 the Union. I have even heard of their nests being found 

 in Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama; but these, are 

 only stragglers, and unimportant, numerically, when you 

 compare them with those that are to be found in their more 

 northern retreats. 



The nest of the woodcock is very primitive, composed 

 of grasses and leaves, placed in some secluded spot near the 

 root of a bush, or under the shelter of a fallen log. They 

 commence to lay early in April in the State of New York, 



