37 The Plover-like Birds 



The Old World Whimbrel (N. ph&opus), which as already stated occurs in Green- 

 land, whereby it comes to be regarded as a North American bird, is similar to 

 the Hudsonian Curlew, but is only seventeen inches in length and has a white 

 rump, which none of the other American species have. It is found throughout 

 Europe generally, its place in eastern Asia, Japan, Korea, etc., being taken by 

 the closely allied Variegated Whimbrel (N. variegafus). Their habits are those 

 of Curlews in general. 



European Woodcock. The Woodcock and Snipe with their allies comprise 

 the final subfamily here recognized (Scolo pacing, and may be known by the 

 very long bill which is swollen and somewhat thickened at the tip, which is, soft 

 and very sensitive, an adaptation for securing their food by probing in the mud. 

 As a typical example of the group we may select the European Woodcock (Sclo- 

 pax rusticula), in which the tibia is completely feathered and the straight bill is 

 longer than the tarsus and middle toe combined. It has a very robust body 

 with a rather short, rounded tail, and a long, pointed wing in which the outer- 

 most primary is longest and broad like the rest, a character which serves to 

 separate it at once from the American Woodcock. In coloration it is rusty brown 

 above, everywhere barred and vermiculated with black, and wood-brown barred 

 with darker brown below; the sexes are alike in plumage. The length is about 

 fourteen inches. The Woodcock has large dark eyes and is mainly nocturnal in 

 its habits, remaining in concealment in thick brush and brake during the day- 

 time, even, it is said, partially covering itself under dry leaves, its tawny, vermic- 

 ulated plumage serving admirably for concealing it. When disturbed during 

 the day it flies in an Owl-like manner and seems hardly to know which way to go, 

 but on the approach of dusk it becomes active, flying irregularly but rapidly 

 this way and that through the glades, seeking its feeding places. Its food consists 

 of worms, larvae, etc., which occur in moist, swampy, or boggy ground, and 

 which it dexterously extracts with its long, sensitively tipped bill. It is largely 

 a migrant species, spending the winter in the Indian peninsula, China, and 

 neighboring regions, and in summer spreading over much of Europe, northern 

 Asia, and the Himalayas. It breeds mainly to the northward, though a limited 

 number remain for the purpose in the British Islands. During the love-making 

 season the male, abandoning his usual shy habits, may be seen ajt morning and 

 evening flying slowly about with the plumage puffed out, and emitting the while 

 two peculiar notes. The nest is a slight hollow scratched in the ground in some 

 secluded situation among ferns and bushes, and the eggs are four in number, 

 of a pale yellowish white, spotted and blotched at the larger end with reddish 

 brown. It was long ago observed that when the young birds were threatened 

 with danger they were removed one at a time by the mother to a place of safety. 

 It was first asserted that they were carried in the bill or in the claws, but neither 

 seemed fitted for this office, and it appears that they are carried between the 

 thighs, the bill being employed to hold them in place. The Woodcock is one of 

 the most highly prized of European game birds and is much sought after by sports- 

 men and epicures, with the result that the numbers have become sadly depleted. 

 A much smaller, darker species (S. saturata) occurs in Java and New Guinea. 



