570 WOODCOCK. 
The Woodcock has only once been obtained in the Feeroes and 
has not occurred in Iceland, though met with as a straggler in New- 
foundland and on the Atlantic coast of the United States. A 
large proportion nest in the forests of Scandinavia and Russia ; a 
smaller number breeding—up to the limit of tree-growth—in the 
rest of Europe, down to Northern Italy, Transylvania, the Balkans 
and the Caucasus. On both sides of the Mediterranean basin the 
Woodcock is chiefly found in winter, when it is plentiful in suitable 
localities ; but in the wooded mountains of the Canaries, Madeira 
and the Azores itis resident. Southern Persia and India are only 
visited during the cold season, but the bird breeds in Kashmir and 
the Himalayas above 10,000 ft., and in the Japanese group as far 
south as the great volcano of Fuji-yama; while northward it passes 
the summer in the forest regions of Siberia. 
The nest is merely a depression in some sheltered place, a lining 
of dead leaves being added, usually during imcubation. The 
eggs—often laid by the middle of March, though more frequently 
in April—are usually 4 in number; they are slightly pyriform, 
and of a yellowish-white colour, blotched with ash-grey and two 
shades of reddish-brown: measurements 1°75 by 1°3 in. Two 
broods are sometimes produced in a season, The female often 
removes her young, and the balance of evidence appears to be that 
the nestling is clasped between the thighs of the old bird and pressed 
close to her body, sometimes even up to the base of the bill. During 
the day the Woodcock rests in dry grassy bottoms, or beneath thick 
bushes, such as holly or laurel ; but at dusk and early in the morn- 
ing, especially during breeding-time, the male persistently follows 
certain tracks along glades in woods—often called ‘ cock-roads’— 
uttering a deep as well as a whistling note; and similar routes are 
also traversed by both sexes on their way to and from their 
feeding-grounds. Worms, when procurable, are devoured in almost 
incredible quantities, while’ beetles and other insects, small 
crustaceans and even mussels, are also eaten. Few birds exceed 
15 ozs. in weight, though such are on record. 
The general colour of the upper plumage is reddish-brown vermi- 
culated with black, and that of the under parts wood-brown with 
darker bars. Externally the sexes are alike. Length 14°25 in. 
(bill 2°9), wing 7°5 in. The second year’s dress is paler than that 
of the first year, but there is great individual variation. In the 
young bird the outer webs of all the primaries show distinct fulvous 
notches ; in the adult there are hardly any such markings on the rst 
and znd outer webs. Partial albinisms are not uncommon. 
