THE WOODCOCK. , 163 



INCUBATION. 



Woodcocks begin laying in April, sometimes much earlier; 

 the nest is formed in a very artless manner, generally composed, 

 of a few dried leaves or small portions of grass, and situated at 

 the foot of an old stump or tussock, within a copse or thick 

 wood. It usually contains three, four, or five brown-spotted 

 eggs, over an inch long. The period of incubation is about the 

 same time with the Partridge — three weeks ; and the young 

 leave the nest a short time after escaping from the shell, but 

 are not by any means as expert at running as young Partridges, 

 it being no uncommon circumstance to catch young Cocks, but 

 very difficult, on the other hand, to make captive a young Par- 

 tridge, even when only a day or two old. 



At this season of the year the male Bird is said to perform, 

 at times, more particulaidy about early dawn, some very singular 

 manoeuvres ; rising by a kind of spiral course to a considerable 

 height in the air, uttering a sudden or sharp "quack," till, having 

 gained his utmost elevation, he hovers round in a wide irregular 

 manner, making 'a sort of murmuring sound, and then descends 

 with rapidity as he arose. This movement, accompanied by 

 the short discordant note or " quack," is the call of the male to 

 his favorite female. 



We must not forget to mention one other peculiarity of these 

 Birds, and that is the somewhat extraordinary habit they have 

 of carrying their young on their back from place to place. We 

 have never been so fortunate as to see a Woodcock adopt this 

 novel mode of conveyance of their young, and must confess 

 that we are rather skeptical on the subject, although we have 

 heard it from others who have witnessed it — at least, they told 

 as so, and of course we could not doubt their word, though we 

 might have thought of the "traveller's privilege." Notwith- 

 standing the improbability of the whole affair, it is well sup- 

 ported by the assertions- of Viellot, in his GaJerie des Oiseavx, 

 for he states that such is the fact, and moreover that he has seen 

 them do it plusieurs fois. 



Many persons believe that Woodcocks raise two broods each 

 season ; whether or not this is the case in the Northern States, 



