BCOLOI'ACID.K — TIIK SNII'M FAMILY - ril.'.DlIKLA. 



186 



Miict' plainly sui,'Kt'Mtinj,' tin- crt'iinscular liuliits ol tln' Kinl. Diiiiii',' tlu' KivattT iiortiim 

 111 till' iluy till' W'diiili'iuU rriiiaiiiH cloHt'ly coiUTiili'il in iiiiirsiiy tliicki'ts or in imiU 

 gi'iiHs; in the t'urly iiiniiiin\' nr rvi'iiin'j;. and also nn iiin(iiilii;iit nij^lits. it st'i'ks its 

 rmiil in iijicn plai't's, lint ilnriny tin- day-tiini' in dark and di'iisr covt'its. 



Till' t'avuriti' placi's of resort ol' this s|i('cit's are low marshy j^ronnds. swamiis. anil 

 mi'iulows with suit liottonis. Diirin.y; vny wi't srasoiis it soi'ks hiji,'lii'i' land — most 

 1,'i'nt'ially corn-rn'lds — and srairhi's lor loud in tlir suit |ilon,L,dit'd f,'i'iinnil. wlirrc its 

 jircsi-ni't' is indii'atcd hy tin- holes made liy its liili. in sei'sons of exeessive dionjiht 

 the Woodi'oek lesorts in larj,'i' nnmliers to tide-walei' ereeks and the hanks id' fresh- 

 water rivers; lint so averse is it to an exeess of water, that after eontinned or very 

 hea\y rains it has been known snddeidy to disajiiiear over widely extended tracts of 

 conntry. 



In Oetnlu and Novomber this iiird fcu'sakes its usual feedinj,'-Krounds, ami resorts 

 to tall swampy woods, small streams (iveri,'rown with Imshes, and newly eleared lands. 

 Its favorite food eonsists of laiva', insects, and. more es|ieeially. worms. As the 

 aiipvoaeh of eold weather drives the latter deeper into the t,n'ounil. the Woodcock 

 resorts to woods and lirushdands. where it ^jleaiis a snlisisteiiee on insects concealed 

 under the leaves. That is considered liy sportsnu'U as the most favoralile season in 

 which to shoot this bird, as it is then lar^jer, fatter, and more free from vermin than 

 at any other tinm. The best sportsmen contend that the Woodcock shouhl iu)t be 

 shot until the last of Se]iteudier or the first of October, and re,!j;ard its destruction, 

 when of imperfect tli.yht, as both barbarous in itself, and certain to render the race 

 extinct — at least over ]iorti(ins of the country. 



The food of this sjiecies consists chietiy of worms, and iilso of several kinds of 

 larva", which it tinds under leaves and the ilvhrlo of swampy woods and open lio^'s. 

 The extreme portion of its bill is well supplied with lu'rves. and is so extrenudy sen- 

 sitive to the touch, that by it the presence of worms in the soft oavth at a deiith of 

 tlnee iuches is rca<lily detected. This is a very voracious bird, and when kept in 

 coi'.tinement reipiires constant attention and a larj^e supply of food. It soon 

 discovers and draws out every worm in the ground; and such as are provided for it 

 arc consumed in incredible ipiantitics. It can in time be induced to feed on bread 

 and milk, of which it will al.so consume an enormous (piantity in twenty-four 

 hours. The voracity of tins species is evidently one of the occasions of its unsocial 

 character. 



For the table the Woodcock is highly (>steenied by epicures, and always commands 

 a high price in the markets of (nir large cities. It is ]iarticularly sought for during 

 the early part of the season, although birds taken at that time are much inferior in 

 many respects to those jirocured later in autumn. 



The Hight of this species is very peculiar. When Hushed in its retreats it rises 

 to the height of the bushes or undergrowth, and (juickly drops behind them again ; 

 usually running a short distance as soon as it touches the ground. Very little force 

 is required to kill it, but as it presents itself as a mark only for a moment, no other 

 than a practised sportsman will be successful. As it rises, the action of its wings 

 causes a whistling sound. When found in open m(>adow-hind, hoAvever, it is com- 

 paratively easily shot, as it always gives warning by this whistling sound of its 

 wings, and seldom rises higher than a man's head, skimming over the ground, with 

 a slow and steady flight, to a short distance, when it settles again in the grass, 

 lint among bushes and thickets its course is at first indirect and unsteady, and unlike 

 the flight of any other game. Springing rapidly from the ground, it rises perpen- 

 dicularly until it clears the tops of the trees or bushes : its flight then becomes 



vox.. I. — 24 



