288 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



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 considerable variation in size, weight, and plumage. Average 

 weight, 11 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. 



