﻿BIRDS 
  OF 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  

  

  299 
  

  

  like 
  a 
  bird. 
  If 
  disturbed, 
  he 
  pops 
  up, 
  as 
  if 
  discharged 
  from 
  a 
  catapult, 
  to 
  

   the 
  tops 
  of 
  the 
  bushes; 
  then 
  darts 
  away 
  in 
  a 
  horizontal 
  course, 
  and 
  quickly 
  

   drops 
  again 
  among 
  the 
  bushes. 
  The 
  Woodcock's 
  flight 
  is 
  rapid 
  and 
  accom- 
  

   panied 
  by 
  a 
  whistling, 
  whirring 
  sound, 
  but 
  not 
  so 
  resonant 
  as 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  

   Grouse 
  and 
  Bobwhite. 
  It 
  lies 
  well 
  to 
  the 
  dog 
  p 
  

   and 
  when 
  hunted 
  rarel}^ 
  leaves 
  the 
  locality 
  

   where 
  it 
  was 
  startled. 
  Thus 
  the 
  whole 
  brood 
  

   is 
  often 
  secured 
  by 
  the 
  sportsman 
  and 
  none 
  

   are 
  left 
  to 
  repopulate 
  the 
  coverts. 
  The 
  wood- 
  

   cock's 
  migratory 
  habit 
  has 
  preserved 
  it 
  thus 
  

   far 
  from 
  extermination, 
  but 
  it 
  sorely 
  needs 
  

   the 
  most 
  efflcient 
  protection 
  if 
  it 
  is 
  to 
  escape 
  

   the 
  fate 
  of 
  the 
  Heath 
  hen, 
  Wild 
  turkey, 
  and 
  

   Passenger 
  pigeon. 
  

  

  Woodcock 
  begin 
  to 
  breed 
  from 
  the 
  ist 
  to 
  

   the 
  I 
  oth 
  of 
  April, 
  and 
  the 
  eggs 
  are 
  almost 
  always 
  

   laid 
  before 
  the 
  2 
  5 
  th 
  of 
  that 
  month 
  . 
  D 
  uring 
  the 
  

   mating 
  season 
  and 
  until 
  the 
  period 
  of 
  incu- 
  

   bation 
  is 
  nearly 
  finished, 
  the 
  cock 
  performs 
  

   his 
  peculiar 
  song 
  and 
  aerial 
  evolutions 
  during 
  

   the 
  early 
  evening 
  and 
  often 
  in 
  the 
  morning. 
  

   Springing 
  from 
  the 
  ground, 
  he 
  ascends 
  in 
  a 
  

   spiral 
  course, 
  whistling 
  or 
  chippering 
  or 
  piping 
  

   as 
  he 
  mounts 
  in 
  the 
  air 
  until 
  a 
  considerable 
  

   hight 
  is 
  reached 
  when 
  he 
  sweeps 
  about 
  in 
  

   wide 
  circles 
  and 
  descends 
  again, 
  uttering 
  all 
  

   the 
  while 
  a 
  mellow 
  and 
  rapidly 
  increasing 
  

   chipper, 
  or 
  warble, 
  until 
  the 
  ground 
  is 
  reached, 
  when 
  he 
  lowers 
  his 
  head 
  and 
  

   cocks 
  his 
  tail 
  and 
  utters 
  a 
  harsh, 
  nasal 
  peenk, 
  or 
  blaik, 
  accompanied 
  with 
  an 
  

   uncouth 
  waving 
  motion 
  of 
  the 
  body. 
  Then 
  he 
  looks 
  about 
  expectantly 
  

   and 
  if 
  his 
  mate 
  does 
  not 
  appear, 
  the 
  serenade 
  is 
  repeated, 
  often 
  as 
  late 
  as 
  

   9 
  or 
  10 
  o'clock 
  in 
  the 
  evening. 
  

  

  Nest 
  and 
  eggs 
  of 
  woodcock. 
  (From 
  Bird-Lore). 
  

  

  Photo 
  by 
  Tabor 
  

  

  