646 AVES—WOODCOCK. 
THE WOODCOCK.! 
Tue 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 
black streak runs from the bill to the eyes. It flaps its wings with som 
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; andits flesh is univérsally admired. The female 
builds a rude nest on the ground, and generally lays four or five eggs. Sl.€ 
is remarkably tame during incubation. 
THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 
In 1ts general figure and habits, greatly resembles the woodcock of Europe, 
but is considerably less, and very differently marked. This bird is univer- 
1 Scolopax rusticola, Lin. The genus Scolopaxr has the bill long, straight, compressed 
slender, soft, with the tip turned; hoth mandibles channelled the half of their lengt’, the 
op of the upper, projecting beyond that of the under, and the turned portion being hook 
ed; nostrils lateral, basal, longitudinally cleft near the edges of the mandible, and cuvered 
by a membrane; legs slender, with a very small naked space above the knee; tLe three 
fore toes quite divided, or rarely the outer and middle united. cad 
2 Scolopax minor, WiLson. 
