24 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX.. 



bird which had evidently escaped from a snare.. A great patch of 

 skin had been torn off just above the wing and this was covered 

 with a poultice of feathers beautifully attached to the feathers grow- 

 ing in the bird's body. ?r 



Of course, these works of art are the result of accident, not design,, 

 and are caused by the birds lying in muddy places. The wounded 

 part, in most places wet with blood already, naturally gets covered 

 with mud or clay to which feathers, tiny sticks and grass adhere and 

 make, what Major Wilson terms, a poultice and doubtless this may 

 be in some instances as effectual as a splint or poultice made by de- 

 sign. I once shot an owl with a badly smashed thigh, how caused 

 I do not know, but it had been Iving in muddv grass-land and the 

 breast, nest the wounded leg and the whole thigh itself had become- 

 densely matted with feathers, chips of grass, mud and blood which 

 formed a perfect plaster of Fans splint and in addition to this, in 

 lying down the bird had had the wounded leg forced up against the 

 breast where the foot had stuck to the feathers and mud so that it 

 might have been said that not only had the bird arranged a splint 

 for itself but had also put its' foot int©' a sling to prevent its moving, 

 about, 



The Woodcock is generally considered rather a stupid bird and 

 an easy prey to trappers and snarers who take full advantage of his- 

 weak intellect. 



They are said to be regular trapped in the Nilghiris and parts of 

 the Himalayas and certainly in the Khasia Hills snares are to be 

 found set in almost every place known to be haunted by Woodcock. 



In Latham's Synopsis, Vol. Ill, p. 130, there is a very quaint 

 description of the Woodcock. Amongst other things Latham notes 

 that " they are stupid birds and often taken in nets placed at the- 

 openings where they come out of the woods and return to them in 

 the evenings, which they do in particular paths : they are also caught 

 in springes placed on the ground, or near it, sometimes by the legs, 

 at other times by the neck : for as these birds will not walk over the 

 least obstacle which projects in their way, it is usual to place a range 

 of stones and in the avenues between to set springes, by which means 

 many are often taken." 



The Woodcock is a very silent bird and but little is on record 

 about its voice. The male is said ■ to have a hoarse, grating note-. 



