304 WOODCOCK. 



of our woods and forests. It seems rather to prefer 

 the plantations of small trees than the old forests. 



It seeks its food, which consists chiefly of earth- 

 worms, in swampy and marshy districts. It is a most 

 voracious feeder. Mr. Coates in the Zoologist, 1884, 

 p. 150, speaking of one which he had taken up, it having 

 apparently flown against a telegraph post and being 

 not much the worse, and which he determined to keep 

 in confinement, says : " I fed it twice every day on 

 worms, which I put in a box of mud. I should think 

 it devoured its own weight of worms in twenty-four 

 hours. It did not feed by sight, but if it touched a 

 worm with its beak it devoured it immediately. It 

 became very tame, and I allowed it to run and fly 

 about the room ; it always ran to the darkest place 

 that could be found." 



The Woodcock is an extraordinary-looking bird, its 

 eyes being placed far back and high up in its head. 

 It has a long sloping forehead and long beak. When 

 flying it moves with its beak pointed downwards, pro- 

 bably to enable it the better to see where it is going. 

 Its flight is very fast, but not so fast as that of the 

 Common Snipe ; it has also a habit of curiously turn- 

 ing and twisting about in the air. 



It is a handsome bird, of very varied plumage. 

 Generally speaking, the upper parts have a speckled 

 appearance of black, chestnut, and grey ; the under 

 parts are buff barred with brown. 



The Woodcock is an early breeder, eggs being some- 

 times found in March, but April is the usual month. 

 The nest is on the ground, usually amongst the ferns 

 and undergrowth on the edge of some wood or copse, 

 and consists of a hollow scratched in the ground and 

 lined with a little dry grass and leaves. 



