112 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



WOODCOCK'S NEST AND EGQS. 



has been obtained during recent years. 

 The Duke of Northumberland's keepers 

 mark all the young " Cocks " they find 

 at Alnwick, and by this means it has 

 been proved that birds bred in that 

 historic neighbourhood have been shot 

 all over the British Islands, and even 

 as far away as Brittany. 



The Woodcock nests in forests, plan- 



tations, and coppices. The structure is 

 composed of a few dead leaves, bits of 

 dry grass, or fern fronds, placed in a 

 hollow. Sometimes it is situated quite 

 in the open, and at others hidden under 

 brambles, where very little of the sit- 

 ting bird can be seen. 



The eggs generally number four, 

 although upon rare occasions as many as 

 five have been found in a clutch. They 

 vary from yellowish-white to buffish- 

 brown in ground colour, and are marked 

 with pale chestnut brown and ash-grey. 



The young ones in their beautiful coats 

 of variegated brown velvety down soon 

 leave the nest, and when in danger, or 

 require transporting to fresh feeding 

 ground, the mother bird sometimes 

 carries them. This wonderful feat is 

 accomplished by holding the chick be- 

 tween her depressed bill and breast, in 

 her claws, or between her thighs. I 

 have only had the pleasure of seeing 

 it done once, and the last-named method 

 was employed. 



