WOODCOCK. 327 



lay is early in April. In July, August and September, they are con- 

 sidered in good order for shooting. 



The Woodcock is properly a nocturnal bird, feeding chiefly at night, 

 and seldom stirring about till after sunset. At such times, as well as in 

 the early part of the morning, particularly in spring, he rises by a kind 

 of spiral course, to a considerable height in the air, uttering at times a 

 sudden guach, till having gained his utmost height, he hovers around in 

 a wild irregular manner, making a sort of murmuring sound ; then 

 descends with rapidity as he rose. When uttering his common note on 

 the ground, he seems to do it with difiiculty, throwing his head towards 

 the earth, and frequently jetting up his tail. These notes and manoeuvres 

 are most usual in spring, and are the call of the male to his favorite 

 female. Their food consists of various larvae, and other aquatic worms, 

 for which, during the evening, they are almost -continually turning over 

 the leaves with their bill, or searching in the bogs. Their flesh is 

 reckoned delicious, and prized highly. They remain with us till late 

 in autumn ; and on the falling of the first snows, descend from the 

 ranges of the Alleghany, to the lower parts of the country, in great 

 numbers ; soon after which, viz., in November, they move ofi" to the 

 south. 



This bird, in its general figure and manners, greatly resembles the 

 Woodcock of Europe, but is considerably less, and very difiFerently 

 marked below, being an entirely distinct species. A few traits will 

 clearly point out their difi"erences. The lower parts of the European 

 Woodcock are thickly barred with dusky waved lines, on a yellowish 

 white ground. The present species has those parts of a bright ferru- 

 ginous. The male of the American species weighs from five to six 

 ounces, the female eight : the European twelve. The European Wood- 

 cock makes its first appearance in Britain in October and November, 

 that country being in fact only its winter quarters ; for early in March 

 they move off to the northern parts of the continent to breed. The 

 American species, on the contrary, winters in countries south of the 

 United States, arrives here early in March, extends its migrations as 

 far, at least, as the river St. Lawrence, breeds in all the intermediate 

 places, and retires again to the south on the approach of winter. The 

 one migrates from the torrid to the temperate regions ; the other from 

 the temperate to the arctic. The two birds, therefore, notwithstanding 

 their names are the same, differ not only in size and markings, but also 

 in native climate. Hence the absurdity of those who would persuade 

 us, that the Woodcock of America crosses the Atlantic to Europe, and 

 viae versa. These observations have been thought necessary, from the 

 respectability of some of our own writers, who seem to have adopted 

 this opinion. 



How far to the north our Woodcock is found, I am unable to say. It 



