THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 27 



these nuptial flights. Mr. J. Lindsay Smith has, however, written 

 me an interesting letter on the Woodcock and its habits on Dunga- 

 gali, and he says in this that he has often observed them roding ; and 

 that whilst thus engaged this bird utters "a rather harsh croak 

 alternately with a sharp whistle or squeak, something like that of- a 

 eat but very much stronger." 



The habit the Woodcock has of carrying its young from one place 

 to another is very well known, but there are not many descriptions 

 on record of how the carrying is done. 



Davidson saw the bird in the act of carrying its young in Kashmir, 

 but has unfortunately left but little on record about it. He observes : — 

 " On the 28th May I found a pair with small young ones and dis- 

 tinctly saw one of the old birds carrying a young one between its 

 feet or legs. It flew only some 50 yards, but though I followed at 

 •once, I not only failed to find the young bird, but could not even put 

 up the old one again, and on returning could not find the young one 

 that I had previously noticed on the ground." 



Littledale also records having seen the same occurrence. He 

 writes, " to my delight up flew a Woodcock about five yards from 

 jny feet. She had a young one — the men said two young ones, but 

 I could not see two distinctly myself — in her claws pressed close 

 under her ; and she flew slowly and heavily for about ten yards, 

 then rested above a bramble which the young one seemed to catch 

 hold of with its claws, or become entangled in. The old bird flut- 

 tered for quite half a minute over it, before she could pull the little 

 one clear and fly a few yards further down, when she alighted but 

 rose again, when I sent a man to try to catch the young one." 



A friend in Scotland to whom I wrote to obtain information on 

 this point informs me that he has only once certainly seen the Wood- 

 cock carry its young, though he believes that on two or three occa- 

 sions when he has disturbed cock in spring they carried away a young 

 •one with them. On the occasion he refers to as having distinctly 

 seen what happened he writes in epistola ; — " We came on this bird 

 very suddenly and she rose almost at my feet and made off with a 

 young one held tightly up against her breast, and, I think, held on 

 either side by her claws. As she left three young ones behind her 

 when she first flew away, I at once hid myself and awaited to see 

 what further she would do. In a few minutes back came the old 



