318 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



Blvth in the Calcutta Bazaar. We have seen either this species or 

 Wilson's Phalarope, or perhaps both kinds, very numerous in small parties 

 at sea ofif the coast of California in October, but they were rather wild. 



Woodcock. Scoloimx rnsticula, Linn. 



[Muff-cock (N. Dev.X] 



A resident in small numbers, but principally a winter visitor. 



The mild and humid climate of Devonshire, with the numerous covers 

 abounding in warm springs that extend on either side of its sheltered 

 valleys, make it a favourite resort of Woodcocks, which are generally 

 plentiful, and in severe winters, when a large part of the kingdom is 

 deeply covered with snow, they flock into it from all quarters, being then 

 especially abundant in covers near the coast. The Devonshire Wood- 

 cocks, like most of those obtained on the western side of the kingdom, 

 belong almost exclusively to the red race ; specimens of the grey eastern 

 form are very rarely seen. Extra large birds go by the name of " Muif- 

 cocks " in Xorth Devon. 



Very large arrivals of Woodcocks take place at Bindon and DowlaDds, near 

 Axmouth, on moonlight nights in October (G. P. R. P., ' Book of the Axe,' p. 2r>). 

 Forty-twu couples were shot in Sluite Park in the season of lS8i>-8-±, as we learn from 

 Mr. T. Olode, steward to Sir W. E. Pole. Woodcocks are sometimes plentiful in 

 Woodleigh Woods, near Kingsbridge (E. A. S. E.). In November and December 

 ISIHI, at a time of severe frost, they were very numerous in mauy parts of the 

 county. Woodcocks very rarely strike the lantern of the Start Lighthouse, and have 

 not been reported from the Eddystone. 



This bird is sometimes met with in South Devon in August and September. Two 

 were killed near Bovey, September li5th, 18G4. One was seen on VVooda Farm, 

 Stratton, in Cornwall, just over the border of Devon, early in August 1S9U ('Exeter 

 Gazette'), but no more were seen until lUth November following. It has often been 

 obtained about Oth October, but the 10th October is generally considered the average 

 date of the first arrival, the main body seldom a)3pearing before the middle of that 

 month, and many continue to arrive up to the middle of December. The time of 

 departure is the begiiming of March. On Lundy Island Woodcocks have been seen 

 as late as May and as early as August (H. G. Heaven, Trans. Devon. Assoc, viii. 

 p. 308). Several instances of Woodcocks breeding in Devon are known. Polwhele 

 says it breeds on Dartmoor, and Dr. E. Moore records a young bird which was shot at 

 Caun Down, near Bickleigh Vale, in May 1830 (Mag. Na't. Hist. 1837, p. 311); Rowe"s 

 Peramb. Dartmoor, p. 231). Bellamy also says "it has been known to breed here" 

 (Nat. Hist. S. Devon, p. 211). In 1853 a nest with four eggs was found in the parish 

 of Whit stone, near Exeter. The young were hatched on April 23rd, as we were 

 informed by the late Mr. Thomas Floud, on whose property the nest was found 

 (W. D'U.). Three Woodcocks were flushed early in A))ril 18'J1, near Stockleigh 

 ('Exeter Gazette' for April Gth, 1801). Woodcocks bred in France Wood, near 

 Stokeley, in 18'J1, sevei-al being seen during the summer months (W. V. T.). 



We knew of a Woodcock bt- ing caught among some brambles in a small cover close 

 to Barnstaple in July, and years before any discussion on the subject had appeared, 

 either in the 'Field' or in the 'Zoologist,' we were told by a farmer who resided at 

 the top of a large wood, a very good Woodcock-cover, about midway between Barn- 

 staple and Ilfracombe, in the parish of Biltadon, that he had seen the old Wood- 

 cocks in the spring carrying their young ones down to the "splashets" to feed. We 

 think that some of tiie " early Woodcocks " recorded in the autumn are most probably 

 birds which have been hatched in the county. 



