184 



l'H.K('< CIAI, (lUALLATOHKS — l,IMI((»I„i:. 



i|iiillM vprv Tinrrow ; tuil ^<lu)^( ; Ic^'" iiniiIiTiitc ; i-vf* iiiHcrtfcl imiisuully distutit from the Mil. Aihtll : 

 ()cci|int with llirci' ti'iiiisvcrsc IiuihI- nt' Mack, altiTiinliiij,' wiili tliii'c nuiili nariowcr inics ul' pule 

 yullfjwisli iiil'mm ; npiHT |>artn ol' ImhI y vuricKuti'il with pale anliy, riit'oii!<, or yellowiith ri'il <.f varioiii 

 Hliaiit'4, and l)lack ; lur^c Kpuccou trout and throat rt'ddi^li a^liy ; litu' IVoiii the cyi: to tlitt hill, ami 





m 



nnotlipr on the ni'ck liclow tlip eye, ))rnwiii-<h Mack ; entire under parts ]ialo f,Tnyisli riii'ous, 

 lirij;iilcr on the nides and under wini,'-covert>*. Quills ashy hrowii ; tail leathers lirownish Maik, 

 tipped witli n«hy, darker on the upper suiiacu, paler and I'reiiuently white on the under ; Mil li^dit 

 lirown, jialer and yellowish at liase ; Iv^n ])ale reddish. 



Ihiiriiij ijiitiuii : (leneral color li^^dit riMldish Imll'or isuhellu-color, unil'orni on the lower RUiiace. 

 Line IroMi Mil to eye, a lar;,'e, somewhat elli|itical patch coverin;,' forehead and lore part of the 

 crown, a patch on the oc ipul (connected with that on the crown by a narrow isthmus), and a 

 narrow mark ludiiiid the eye with an (jt)Iii[ue one below it, very dark chestnut ; broad utripe down 

 the rump, also dark chestnut ; stripe down the nape, ami various larj,'e blotches on the* back, wings, 

 etc., rather li^dit siuill'-brown. 



Total len},'th abmit II inches; wing, 4.80-5.70; tail, ■l.io; bill, I'.nd to nearly 3.00 ; tarsus, 

 1.'2") ; middle toe, 1.H7. 



Tiic Aiucricaii Woodpook — one of the best known and most ])opnlar of our panip- 

 birtls — i.s found tlirotiKhont the eastern portion of the eontinent, from Florida to the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrenei" on the northea.st, and from the Atlantic to >.'ebraska. It is. 

 however, rare Avest of the Mississipiti. It is abundant at Hamilton, and ])robably 

 occurs tlirouj^hoiit Canada, New Hrimswick, and Xova Scotia. jMr. lioardman in- 

 forms ns that it is very common in the vicinity of Calais, Avhere it breeds abund- 

 antly, and that it has been known to nest as far north as the river and the banks of 

 the (ridf of St. Lawrence. It breeds in these jdaees in April, even when the ground 

 is still covered with snow. A single specinuMi has been taken in I>ermiula. 



On Long Island, according to (Jiraiid, the Woodcock arrives early in March, and 

 begins to build its nest, about the begininng of April, of withered leaves and dry 

 grasses in a very inartistic manner. The eggs are usually four, occasionally five, 

 in number. It is, however, probable that the AVoodcock, in favorable seasons, arrives 

 and breeds somewhat earlier on Long Island, as this bird occasionally occurs in Massa- 

 chusetts in February, and breeds in March. It remains in sheltered localities until 

 quite late in the autumn ; and, near Jamaica, L. I., in wet and springy places, a few 

 have been seen in the months of Dccend)er and January. 



In its habits the Woodcock is nocturnal. It never flies voluntarily by day, but 

 only when forced from its retreats, usually keeping in close and sheltered thickets, and 

 resorting at twilight to its favorite feeding-places. It feeds almost exclusively dur- 

 ing the night, as its sight is very imperfect by day. Its eye is remarkably large and 

 handsome, but unfit to bear the glare of the sun, its full and almost amaurotic appear- 



