324 



TUB LESSER WOODCOCK. 



seiaom appear m open grounds. From the greater strength of their 

 less sensitive bills, they are enabled to bore in drier ground than the 

 Snipes, and use this organ often in turning over the fallen leaves and 

 withered grass, in quest of their insect prey. They tend their young 

 with great assiduity, conveying them from danger even by sometimes 

 carrying them on their backs, or in their claws. Their flight is low 

 and direct, accompanied by a whizzing sound, from the ial or attend 

 ing upon it. Although there are but two species known, in eithe 

 continent, yet they are spread over the whole earth, 



THE LESSER WOODCOCK. 



The American Woodcock, like the Snipe, appears again to be a 

 near representative of that in Europe, whose manners and habits it 

 almost entirely possesses, differing however, materially in the temper- 

 ature of the climates selected for its residence, confining itself in the 

 summer to the south side of the St. Lawrence, breeding in all the 

 intermediate space as far as the limits of the Middle States, and re- 

 tiring in winter, for the most part, either to or beyond the boundray 

 of the Union. 



Early in March the American Woodcock revisits Pen n sylvan' a, 



THE LK6SEB WCOEOCK MALE AND Ft MALE. 



