SHORE BIRDS 123 



see the woodcock perform is during the cool nights of April 

 when the birds are breeding. 



I visit the moist places immediately after sunset, where 

 during the daytime I have flushed woodcock or observed 

 perforations among the soft leaves. Presently a short nasal 

 call comes from the underbrush. It is suggestive of the 

 nighthawk's call. After locating the bush under which the 

 "speaking" takes place, there is a rustle of wings and a 

 bird rises in circles. The wings beat rapidly, but the flight 

 seems slow and laborious, as with legs dangling and tail 

 spread, the creature presents an ungainly appearance. Dur- 

 ing the ascent a continuous warble seems to indicate that 

 the object which we see in the dim twilight is in a fit of 

 ecstasy. Scarcely can we attribute this melodious outpour 

 to such a droll-looking bird as the woodcock. The "song- 

 ster " has reached a height of several hundred feet, and the 

 liquid notes become more intense, until the music suddenly 

 ceases, and the bird darts obliquely to the ground, alighting 

 within a few feet from where he arose. The " speaking " is 

 resumed, and in about sixty seconds another flight is made. 



The three outer primaries, or quill feathers, of the wood- 

 cock's wings are shorter than the others. These undevel- 

 oped primaries are turned edgewise during flight, producing 

 a decided whistle, which is often the first intimation we have 

 of a woodcock's presence. 



Woodcocks are active during cloudy days, venturing 

 forth to feed upon the earthworms then on or near the sur- 

 face. In undisturbed localities they do not flush until one 

 is within a few feet of them, when they suddenly spring into 

 the air, rising perpendicularly to a height of ten feet, then 



