646 



AVES— WOODCOCK. 



THE WOODCOCK.i 



The woodcock of the old continent inhabits and breeds in the northern 

 regions during summer; but on the commencement of the frost, it begins 

 to migrate southward. The greater part of them leave England at the close 

 of February, or the beginning of March, after having paired ; but they are 

 sometimes detained for a while longer by the wind being adverse. 



The woodcock is about as large as a pigeon, with a bill three inches long. 

 The crown of the head and back of the neck are barred with black, and a 

 black streak runs from the bill to the eyes. It flaps its wings with some 

 noise when it rises, and its flight is pretty rapid, but neither high nor long; 

 and its descent is so sudden that it seems to fall like a stone. It flies very 

 straight in a wood of tall trees, but in a copse it is often obliged to wind, 

 and frequently drops behind bushes, to conceal itself from the eye of the 

 fowler. It principally feeds on worms and insects, which it draws out of 

 the mud with its long bill; and its flesh is universally admired. The female 

 builds a rude nest on the ground, and generally lays four or five eggs. She 

 is remarkably tame during incubation. 



THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 2 



In its general figure and habits, greatly resembles the woodcock of Europe, 

 but is considerably less, and very differently marked. This bird is univer- 



' Scolopax ruat.icola, Lin. The genus Scohpax has the bill Ion?, straight, compressed, 

 slender, soft, with the tip turned ; both mandibles channelled the half of their length, the 

 tip of the upper, projecting beyond that of the under, and tlie turned portion being hook- 

 ed; nostrils lateral, basal, longitudinally cleft near the edges of the mandible, and covered 

 by a membrane ; legs slender, with a very small naked space above the knee ; the three 

 fore toes quite divided, or rarely the outer and middle united. 



'■ Scolopax minor, Wilson. 



