Species II. SCOLOPAX MINOR. 



WOODCOCK. 



[Plate XLVIII. Fig. 2.] 

 Arct. Zool. p. 463, No. 365.— Tuet. Syst. 396.* 



This bird, like the preceding,! is universally known to our sports- 

 men. It arrives in Pennsylvania early in March, sometimes sooner ; 

 and I doubt not but in mild winters some few remain with us the whole 

 of that season. During the day, they keep to the woods and thickets, 

 and at the approach of evening seek the springs, and open watery 

 places, to feed in. They soon disperse themselves over the country to 

 "breed. About the beginning of July, particularly in long-continued hot 

 weather, they descend to the marshy shores of our large rivers, their 

 favorite springs and watery recesses, inland, being chiefly dried up. 

 To the former of these retreats they are pursued by the merciless 

 sportman, flushed by dogs, and shot down in great numbers. This 

 species of amusement, when eagerly followed, is still more laborious and 

 fatiguing than that of Snipe-shooting; and from the nature of the 

 ground, or cripple as it is usually called, viz., deep mire, intersected 

 with old logs, which are covered and hid from sight by high reeds, 

 weeds and alder bushes, the best dogs are soon tired out ; and it is cus- 

 tomary with sportsmen, who regularly pursue this diversion, to have'two 

 sets of dogs, to relieve each other alternately. 



The Woodcock usually begins to lay in April. The nest is placed 

 on the ground, in a retired part of the woods, frequently at the root of 

 an old stump. It is formed of a few withered leaves, and stalks of 

 grass, laid with very little art. The female lays four, sometimes five, 

 eggs, about an inch and a half long, and an inch or rather more in 

 diameter, tapering suddenly to the small end. These are of a dun clay 

 color, thickly marked with spots of brown, particularly at the great 

 end, and interspersed with others of a very pale purple. The nest of 

 the "Woodcock has, in several instances that have come to my knowledge, 

 been found with eggs in February ; but its usual time of beginning to 



* Scolopax minor, Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 714, No. 2. Gen. Syn. 3, p. 131. 

 t That is, the common Rail, which precedes the Woodcock in the original 

 edition. 



(326) 



