THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 233 
the wing unalarmed they rarely elevate themselves above 
the tops of the neighboring trees, and are seldom seen be- 
fore sunset or after sunrise, unless driven from their bow- 
ery, shady retreats. The descriptions of ground which 
they prefer are moist bottoms, close covered woods of 
second-growth timber and evergreen shrubs, or dry ridges 
of maple, oak, and beech, where they turn over the decay- 
ing leaves in search of insects. Although, as I have stated, 
these birds have a strong dislike to taking flight in the” 
glaring light of day, yet, in searching for them, you will al- 
ways find more success attend your pursuit upon those 
declivities that receive the warm, genial rays of the sun. 
In spring, when the woodcock are on their migratory jour- 
ney north from their winter residence, they travel singly, 
but are followed in rapid succession by others; consequent- 
ly, where one day not a single specimen could be seen, the 
day after they will abound. This has given rise to the 
erroneous impression that they go in flocks; but during 
many years’ experience I never saw over two or three on 
the wing at the same time, and then it occurred through 
the birds having paired, or two or more being flushed from 
a favorite haunt. From what I can learn, I am led to be- 
lieve that Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Maine are 
their principal breeding-places, although annually numbers 
take up their temporary quarters in the Middle States of 
the Union. I have even heard of their nests being found 
in Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama; but these are 
only stragglers, and unimportant, numerically, when you 
compare them with those that are to be found in their more 
northern retreats. 
The nest of the woodcock is very primitive, composed 
of grasses and leaves, placed in some secluded spot near the 
root of a:bush, or under the shelter of a fallen log. They 
commence to lay early in April in the State of New York, 
