OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 301 



time between her legs, and pressed close to the body with her 

 bill. It has even been stated that where the favourite feeding 

 grounds are some distance from the nesting place, the chicks are 

 carried to them at night and brought back to the woods at dawn. 

 The flesh of the Woodcock is not excelled by that of any other 

 bird. 



Diagnostic Characters. — Scolopax, with silvery tips to the 

 under surface of the rectrices, with the breast barred, and with 

 the primaries marked with rudimentary bars on both webs. 

 Length, 13 to 14 inches. The Woodcock is subject to consider- 

 able variation in size, weight, and plumage. Average weight, 

 II to 12 oz. ; more rarely 14 to 16 oz. ; an example is on record 

 weighing 27 oz. Indian individuals are said by Hume to be 

 constantly smaller and lighter than British ones. Birds with the 

 ground colour of the plumage white or yellow, are not very 

 uncommon. 



