254 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS chap. 



be lame, in order to take the attention of the intruder away 

 from her young or eggs. It is a singular but well-ascertained 

 fact, that woodcocks carry their young ones down to the springs 

 and soft ground where they feed. Before I knew this, I was 

 greatly puzzled as to how the newly-hatched young of this bird 

 could go from the nest, which is often built in the rankest 

 heather, far from any place where they could possibly feed, 

 down to the marshes. I have, however, ascertained that the 

 old bird lifts her young in her feet, and carries them one by 

 one. to their feeding-ground. Considering the apparent improb- 

 ability of this curious act*of the woodcock, and the unfitness 

 of their feet and claws for carrying or holding any substance 

 whatever, I should be unwilling to relate it on my own un- 

 supported evidence ; but it has been lately corroborated by the 

 observations of several intelligent foresters and others, who are 

 in the habit of passing through the woods during March and 

 April. 



The woodcock breeds a second time in July and August. 

 I am of opinion that all those which are bred in this country 

 erriigrate about the beginning of September, probably about the 

 full moon in that month. At any rate they entirely disappear 

 from woods where any day in June or July I could find several 

 brace. In September and the beginning of October I could 

 never find a single bird, though I have repeatedly tried to do 

 so. A few" come in October ; but the greatest number which 

 visit this country arrive at the November full moon ; these birds 

 invariably taking advantage of the lightest nights for their 

 journey. In many parts of the country near the coast, the day, 

 and almost the hour, of their arrival can be accurately calculated 

 on, as also the particular thickets and coverts where the first 

 birds alight. 



The snipe ^ also begins to breed in March, though it is not 

 quite so early a bird as the woodcock. Snipes hatch their 

 young in this country, breeding and rearing them in the swamps, 

 or near the springs on the mountains. During the pairing 

 time the snipes fly about all day, hovering and wheeling in the 

 air above the rushes where the female bird lies concealed, and 

 uttering their peculiar cry, which resembles exactly the bleating 



' Both snipe and jack-snipe lay four eggs (C. St. J.). Owing to the reclaiming of 

 marshland, their numbers are decreasing in many parts of Scotland. 



