624 



10 



away to the forest glens instead of being fixed on the preacher's discourse. The old sporting 

 rhyme above alluded to fixes the arrival and departure of the Woodcock as follows : — 



Oculi, da kommen sie (that is, they are arriving) , 



Lsetare, das Wahre (the main body of the migrants are there), 



Judica, sind sie auch noch da (they are still there, but they are decreasing in numbers), 



Palmarum, trallarum (it is now almost over, stragglers only being met with). 



Thus Palm Sunday closes the term of passage ; but in Central Germany these dates are 

 rather early, and it scarcely arrives as early as the third Sunday in Lent. On the autumnal 

 migration, the woods being better clothed with foliage, these birds are not so easily observed, and 

 the sport is less remunerative than in the spring ; still a considerable number are shot in some 

 localities. 



The migrations of the Woodcock take place at night, and are influenced not so much by 

 the moon as by the wind and weather, especially the former ; and Selby's remark that the largest 

 numbers always come over in hazy weather, with little wind, and that from the north-east, has 

 been fully verified by other accurate observers. Not unfrequently they fly towards the light of 

 either a lighthouse or a street lamp ; and a considerable number are sometimes collected round 

 some of the lighthouses on our east coast during nights when they migrate freely. 



On the east coast of England it is most common during passage, usually in October and 

 March. Mr. Cordeaux says that its numbers vary greatly from year to year, according to the 

 state of the wind and weather at the time of their passage : " with the prevailing winds off the 

 land in October (from south to west), it is never a great Woodcock-season on this coast ; but 

 strong winds blowing anywhere from the opposite quarters, from south-east to north-west, and, 

 better, thick, foggy, or drizzly weather accompanying these winds, are invariably highly favourable 

 to an abundant arrival of ' cocks ' along the eastern seabord. The stronger the wind and the 

 wilder the weather from these quarters, the greater, as a rule, is the number of birds that may 

 be found." 



Early in April nidification commences ; and fresh eggs are to be found from the first half of 

 that month to the early part of May. The nest is situated on the edge of some grove or in a 

 tolerably thin part of a thicket, seldom in dense underbrush, and consists merely of a hole 

 scratched in the ground and lined with dry leaves. The eggs, four in number, vary in ground- 

 colour from creamy buff to dark stone-buff, and are more or less marked with pale brown or pale 

 dull purplish shell-markings and dark brown surface-spots, these markings being more numerous 

 towards the larger end. In size they are not very variable, those in my collection varying from 

 Iff by lift inch to l|i by 1^ inch. 



When hatched, the young are attended with the greatest care by the female, who will expose 

 herself freely in their defence in case of any danger threatening them, and will even attack a dog 

 or feign lameness to entice away an intruder. She has also a peculiar habit of carrying off her 

 young to a place of safety when danger is impending. This fact has long been known, and has 

 been recorded by many writers ; but for long it was doubted by many people. Judging from the 

 recorded observations of many competent authorities, it would appear that they are not grasped 

 with the claws when carried off, but the female presses them between her legs close to her breast. 

 Mr. Lloyd, the celebrated Scandinavian sportsman, has published some interesting notes on the 



