146 SCOLOPACID.E. 



our shores whilst performing its usual migration to and from 

 its breeding stations. 



Appearing generally upon the eastern coast range about 

 the end of April or the first week of May, they remain but 

 a short time to recruit their strength, and then disappear. 

 Returning about July or August, the whimbrel move down 

 from their northern breeding haunts in small flocks, averag- 

 ing from five to twenty, accompanied by their young, both 

 of which, from their small size in comparison with the com- 

 mon curlew, are generally believed to be the young of that 

 bird. 



Few species might attract more attention from their re- 

 markable migrations than this species, illustrating in such a 

 beautiful manner the admirable instinct which the Creator 

 has given them, all leaving at a certain season their place of 

 abode, and passing, like a feathered exodus, so many strange 

 lands, to reach at last a locality where their further flight is 

 limited, there to perform the duties of incubation, and after 

 these cares are over, to return again in increased numbers to 

 the more favoured land they had left. Yearly returning 

 to those breeding stations, they exemplify in a beautiful man- 

 ner the Providence that guides them so unerringly. 



Habitat Western Europe. 



GENUS LXXII. SCOLOPAX (SNIPE). 



SPECIES 136 THE WOODCOCK. 



Scolopax rusticola. Linn. 

 Becasse ordinaire. Temm. 



THE WOODCOCK is the largest and finest-looking in appear- 

 ance of the true Scolopacidae frequenting our island, and is a 

 species widely distributed during winter, occurring in fa- 

 vourite localities in much greater numbers than when simi- 

 larly situated in England or Scotland, the obvious reason 

 of which is the admirable adaptation of the marshy nature of 

 the country to their habits. 



Shy and retired, we seldom observe the woodcock, like the 

 majority of our grallatorial birds, whilst feeding or flying to 

 any favourite haunt, which we may partly account for by its 

 semi -nocturnal habits, as during the day we in most cases ob- 

 serve them haunting close -fringed brakes, sides of glens, and 

 the outskirts of woods and plantations, where they remain 

 sluggish and indifferent until the approach of twilight, when 



