NOTES AND QUERIES. 895 
parent birds are still in charge of their four young, the little Bernicle taking 
the greatest care, and trying to drive away any other birds approaching his 
charge. The young birds resemble the Bar-headed Goose in shape and 
size, and are very pale in colour, but the markings on their heads are like 
those of the Bernicle, although pale and indistinct. — Ropert WARREN 
(Moyview, Ballina). 
Wood Pigeon roosting with Dovecote Pigeons.— Some time ago 
I obtained from a wood near here a young “ Cushat,” or Wood Pigeor, 
which I reared. ‘The bird eventually became quite tame, feeding and 
roosting with the other Common Pigeons. One day during a severe gale 
the cote was blown down, and the Pigeon flew off down wind in the 
direction of Manchester; it was absent for several hours, but came back 
towards evening. On several other occasions it disappeared suddenly for 
the day, but always returned to roost. Is not this a rather uncommon 
trait in the habits of so wild a bird ?—E. A. H. Kersuaw (Beech House, 
Middleton, Lancashire). 
The American Woodcock and its mode of Feeding.—A correspondent 
of ‘ Forest and Stream’ (Paul Pastnor), writing on the American Woodcock, 
thus describes its mode of feeding:—‘ When the moon rose I took a 
position near one of the moist places along the brook, where the borings 
were freshest and most plentiful, and awaited developments. For a long 
time the bright light of the moon fell full upon the spot I wished to 
observe, and I could see everything with the utmost plainness. At about 
eight o'clock a Woodcock dropped down silently beside the brook. Pre- 
sently another bird walked out of the shadow and joined it. Both began 
to “bore” for worms—an operation I had never seen before, and a curious 
performance it was. The birds would rest their bills upon the mud and 
stand in this position for several seconds, as if listening. Then, with a 
sudden, swift movement, they would drive the bill its entire length in the 
soil, hold it so for a second, and then as swiftly withdraw it. Though I 
watched the birds carefully with the glass, I could not detect the presence 
of a worm in their bills when they were withdrawn. But a subsequent 
process gave me the clue to their method of feeding. After having bored 
over a considerable piece of ground—a square foot or more—they pro- 
ceeded to execute what looked comically like a war dance upon the perforated 
territory. They also occasionally tapped the ground with the tips of their 
wings. My intense curiosity to know the possible utility of this process 
was at length gratified by seeing a worm crawl, half-length, from one of the 
borings, when it was immediately pounced upon and devoured by one of 
the Woodcocks. Presently another worm made its appearance, and so on 
until the two Woodcocks had devoured as many as a dozen of them. Then 
the “vein” seemed exhausted, and the birds took their leave. I have 
