WOODCOCK. 133 



country by the name of the Little Black Cock. It differs also in its flight, by which 

 it may be distinguished before it is brought to the ground by the fowling-piece of the 

 sportsman; whereas the common bird generally springs with a noise which sometimes 

 almost rivals that of the hen Pheasant. This bird, on the contrary, rises silently, and 

 flies off in a sort of wavy or zigzag direction, a good deal like a Snipe, and with a flap 

 of the wing as noiseless as that of an Owl; and indeed, I recollect, on one occasion, 

 several years ago, when, having killed one, I believed so confidently that I had been 

 shooting at an Owl of some rare species, that was to prove to me a prize, that when 

 I picked up my bird I was surprised to find it a Woodcock, forgetting, at the moment, 

 the usual peculiar flight of this Little Black Cock." 



Other varieties, which may be considered accidental, are not very uncommon; thus we 

 find in addition to the pure white variety, which we have already noticed, others on 

 record in which the general colour is much lighter, more approaching to a cream-colour, 

 or pale ash. These do not however require special notice, and several are mentioned 

 by Bewick in his "British Birds." 



The bill, which is dark brown at the tip, shading towards the base into pale brownish 

 pink, is about three inches in length; eyes, large and prominent; irides, dark brown, 

 orbits, pale buff. The forehead, and as far as the centre of the head gray; from thence 

 to the nape are four blackish brown transverse bands, separated by narrow bars of 

 light yellowish brown; from the gape to the eye is a stripe of rich brown; cheeks, pale 

 yellowish brown, with dark brown spots. Under the ear coverts is a band of dark 

 brown ; chin, pale yellowish brown ; front of neck, breast, and belly, yellow brown, barred 

 transversely with darker brown. The upper parts are prettily variegated with gray 

 brown, pale ochre, and red brown with some dark brown markings. These colours are 

 disposed in a variety of ways, in spots, bars, and streaks, and otherwise mottled ; but as 

 a very lengthy description would be requisite in order to give these with accuracy, we shall 

 content ourselves with this general description, and refer to our plate, which will give all 

 requisite information. Primaries, black brown, the outer webs marked with triangular 

 spots of reddish brown ; the outer web of the first primary is usually of a lighter colour 

 than that of the other quills; and often it will be entirely destitute of dark markings; 

 some sportsmen consider this to indicate a female; others a male; it however appears to 

 be a very uncertain guide, occurring as often in one sex as in the other, being simply a 

 characteristic of age; the dark markings gradually disappearing from the base to the tip 

 as the bird becomes older. The tail consists of twelve feathers, which are black, but 

 tipped with gray : underneath the tips are pure white ; the upper tail coverts only allow 

 about three-quarters of an inch of the tail to be seen. The legs are short, feathered to 

 the knees, of a brownish flesh-colour; claws, black. 



The female has the feathers on the upper part of the back blacker, and those 



