182 



riLKCUCIAL GKA1-LAT(U:KS — LIMICOL.E. 



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1 



11 ^ 



if' i 





(i. 



much Hoiight uftt'i' by H])()itsiii('ii. Tlicir liir>,'t' si/.i', thfir Hno flavor, .and the interest 

 <att('U(linf^ tlicir |tursuit cmiiliiiic to render tlicni attnictivc olijccts to tlic sportsniiin. 

 Tlic winter visitors u tlie Hritisli Islands iisiially upjicar early in Octolicr, and ro- 

 main there until March. Jt is said that they always arrive in the greatest muubers 

 in hazy weather. They pcrt'oriu their journeys at nij^'ht; and it is supim.sed that 

 those which appear in the northern counties of England have nuule their |)assago 

 from Norway between sunset and sunrise. If the weather has been calm, the birds 

 exhibit no signs of fatigiu- on their arrival, and generally come in excellent condition. 

 They fly at a considerable altitude, and usually alight just at dawn of day. The first 

 flight which arrives usually consists cxchisivcl}' of females; the subse(|ucnt and 

 latest one of males. In evidence of tiu' abundance of Woodcock in the eastern conn- 

 tics of England. VarrcU uu-ntious that no less than one huiulre<l and sixty of these 

 birds were shot on the estate of Lord Hastings, in Norfolk, in three days; and 

 instances are on record where two hundred of them have been killed in a single day 

 by one ])erson. 



The Woo(h'ock is of nocturnal habits, and rei)oses in the daytime, renuiining hid in 

 dry grassy bottoms, in woods, or among brakes, never moving exi'cpt when disturbiMl. 

 Toward night tlu' bird goes by well-known tracks to its feeding-ground. These trac^ks, 

 or open glades in the woods, are known as "cock-shoots" and "cock-roads ;" and in 

 them nets were formerly suspended for the capture of the bird. The common earth- 

 worm is the food they most eagerly seek; and in confinement they have been known 

 to consume them in almost incredible ([uantities. Their mode of feeding, as observed 

 in an aviary in Spain, is thus described byDanitd; "There was a fountain to keeji 

 the ground moist, and frt'sh sod was brought to them, the richest in worms that could 

 be found. The Woodcock stuck its beak into the ground, but never higher than the 

 nostrils, drew the worms out singly, and, raising its bill in the air, it extended upon 

 it the Avhole length of the worm, and in this way swallowed it smoothly, without any 

 action of the jaws. The whole was performed in an instant, and the bird never once 

 missed its aim." 



A small proportion of these birds remain in England through the sunvmer, and are 

 verj' early breeders. Varrell states that the young are usually hatched by the end 

 of ManOi or the beginning of Ajjril. On the 2Ud of April, 1838, Mr. Gould exhibited 

 to the Zoological Society two young Woodcocks ai)parently three weeks old. The 

 nests of this species, so far as known, consist wholly of dead leaves, chiefly of the 

 common fern, loosely laid together, and without any lining. The young run almost 

 from the shell. 



It appears to be a well-attested fact that the parent birds of this species, when 

 their yemng — if not old enough to take care of themselves — are in danger, will take 

 them in their claws and carry them to a place of safety. Yarrell cites several in- 

 stances in which this curious perfornmnce Avas witnessed. White, in his " Natural 

 History of Helborne," discredits this statement ; but it appears to be so well attested 

 by so many trustworthy witnesses that it is unreasonable to doubt its correctness. 



The eggs of the Woodcock are said to be usually four in number. Their ground- 

 color is a pale yellowish white, blotched and spotted with ashy gray and two shades 

 of reddish yellow-brown ; these markings are most numerous around the larger end. 

 The eggs measure 1.75 inches in length by 1.33 inches in breadth. 





