by a sitting bird suddenly surprised, when she will “ bleat ” 
as she leaves her eggs, possibly to distract the intruder on 
her vigil. 
The woodcock has a “ love-fight ”’ but of a quite different 
‘roding.” It takes the 
form of short flights up and down the “‘ ride,”’ or space selected 
¢ 
character, known by sportsmen as 
for the nesting site. But while the female is sitting the male 
will still continue these flights, choosing the early morning 
and evenings. As he goes he utters strange cries, which have 
been compared, by some, to the words ‘‘ more rain to- 
, 
morrow,’ and by others to “ Cro-ho, cro-ho,”’ varied by a 
¢ 
note sounding like ‘‘ whee-e-cap.” These flights are varied 
by strange little displays upon the ground, when he will strut 
about before his mate with wings drooped and trailing on the 
ground, the tail spread, and the feathers of the head and neck 
standing on end. This gives him a very odd appearance, to 
human eyes, but it serves its purpose—which is to arouse his 
mate to amorous moods. 
Redshank, curlew, and dunlin—cousins of the snipe and 
woodcock—are all accomplished performers in the art of 
wooing on the wing. The male redshank, uttering flute-like 
notes, Mr. Farren tells us, soars up to a moderate height, and 
remains, for a brief space, “‘ hanging in the wind”’ with the 
tips of his curved wings rapidly vibrating. He then descends, 
pipit-like, earthwards, while the song, which has been uttered 
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