812 SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA. 



fine, and sharp sort of whistle, which, when one is accustomed to it, may be heard at a considerable distance. 

 This note clearly appears to be one by which the betrothed invite each other to pairing; for the bird seems 

 to pay very little attention to the orrt, but always listens and looks about it as soon as it hears the pisp. When 

 two Woodcocks whilst roding meet, or come into near proximity, they chase each other; and whilst casting 

 themselves with the rapidity of lightning amongst the trees and bushes, even to the very ground, they give 

 quick and hurried utterance to their finer note pisp." 



The line of country over which the Woodcock rodes is termed the dray in Swedish; and by taking up a 

 favourable position in one of these drays numbers of birds are shot by Scandinavian sportsmen. When the 

 weather is raw and cold, with a drizzling rain, the Woodcock is said by Mr. Ekstrom to rode best ; and con- 

 cerning the above mode of killing them he writes : — " During the first days of spring the Woodcock commences 

 roding the instant the sun has sunk below the horizon, but at a more advanced period somewhat before its 

 total disappearance, and continues until nightfall. In the morning it begins roding whilst still quite dark, 

 and ceases previous to its being full daylight. When the bird rodes there is always an interval between each 

 tour and retour, which is more observable in the evening, when it goes and returns three times. The first 

 time it always flies high, and generally with rapidity ; the second, its flight is but little above the tree-tops, 

 and commonly slower ; the third time still nearer the ground, and yet more leisurely ; but it is then, especially 

 in early spring, too dark to take proper aim. One ought, therefore, always to fire when it makes its 

 appearance for the second time." 



The migration of the Woodcock takes place at night ; and Selby noticed that most birds arrive in misty 

 calm nights, a fact which subsequent observation is said fully to bear out. 



Nidification. — This bird breeds only in the Himalayas within the Indian limits. It has been observed 

 " roding " in Sikhim ; and my late friend, Mr. A. Anderson, found its nest in the upper valleys of Kumaon 

 at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, and was fortunate enough to secure the eggs, almost the only specimens 

 ever preserved in India. From his interesting notes on the occurrence, contained in 'Stray Feathers,' 1875, 

 I transcribe the following passage : — " We were following up a huge wounded Presbytes schistaceus through 

 a dense undergrowth of Ringalls when a Woodcock rose close to us, dropping again almost immediately and 

 disappearing in the cover. A diligent search revealed the long looked-for prize, four eggs, which were deposited 

 in a slight depression in the damp soil, and imbedded amongst a lot of wet leaves, the thin ends pointing 

 inwards and downwards into the ground. The eggs found (I could see they were hard-set) I told Triphook 

 I had no intention of leaving the place without bagging the bird. It was raining heavily and bitterly cold, 

 with the thermometer down to 40° ; but fortunately for us, before we had time to make ourselves comfortable 

 under an adjoining tree, the bird flew back in a sort of semicircle, alighted, and ran on to her nest No 

 sooner down than she was off again, frightened, as I subsequently learnt, at one of our clogs, but which, at first 

 thought, alarmed me not a little, as I thought she was removing her eggs." After alluding to the shooting 

 of the bird by Dr. Triphook, he describes the eggs, which are stated to be " darker and redder than the usual 

 run of Woodcock's eggs, all four resembling the second figure in Hewitson's work, and in the character of 

 their markings not unlike richly coloured specimens of Tern's eggs." 



The nest is often placed near the foot of a tree, and sometimes among brackens, the dried fronds of 

 which are used to line the depression in the soil which the bird scrapes ; it is not usually concealed with any 

 earr unless it is placed in woods containing heather, when it is said to be difficult to find. Nidification in 

 England and Europe is commenced in April and continued through May. The eggs are almost always four 

 iu number, and differ from those of its family in their round shape. In a small scries from England and Sweden, 

 for the examination of which I am indebted to Mr. Seebohm, the ground-colour varies from stony white to 

 buff stone-colour ; they are broad ovals in shape, some more pointed than others at the small end. The 

 markings consist of rather large and small blotches of reddish brown, openly scattered over the surface, but 

 chiefly collected round the large cud, and under which lie blots of pale bluish grey. In one egg the markings 

 are smaller and thicker. Two Swedish eggs measure 1G8 by 13.- inch and F68 by E3; and one from 

 Sherwood Forest 1'75 by 1*34 inch. 



It is well known that the Woodcock carries its young from the nest to the feeding-grounds, and it 

 has been thought by some that in order to accomplish this it grasps them in i:s feet. It is easy, however. 



