222 Mr. Peabody on the 
The American Surpz, Scolopax Wilsonii, was first 
shown by Wilson to be different from that of Eu- 
rope, and is therefore honored with his celebrated 
name. It is well known to sportsmen, who take 
advantage of its local attachment, and by ascertain- 
ing its favorite resorts, are able to shoot large num- 
bers. They arrive early in the spring, from their 
winter quarters in the south, and are found on mead- 
ows and low grounds, when, at evening and early 
in the morning, their peculiar murmur, which can- 
not be described by words, is heard proceeding from 
these birds, soaring high in the air. It does not 
seem to be owing to the beating of the wings, as 
one might suppose from the sound ; it is, no doubt, 
a call of love, since, after the time of incubation 
ceases, it is heard no more for the season. This 
bird breeds in soft marshes, where man cannot easily 
disturb it, laying its eggs in a hollow, loosely lined 
with grass. They are four in number, of a yellow 
olive, speckled with light and dark brown. The 
young leave the nest as soon as hatched. Their bill 
is, for some time, soft and easily bent; meantime 
they feed on small insects, such as lie on the sur- 
face of the wet soil; as they grow older, they learn, 
like their parents, to strike the bill firmly into the 
ground. When one of them alights, it listens to see 
that all is safe, then strikes its bill into the ground 
several times, in quick succession, till it is satisfied, 
when it lies close till the evening. Their security 
and defence generally consist in lying still. When 
suddenly startled, they fly in a zigzag course, to 
elude the aim of the fowler, and it is so difficult to 
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