20 THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 



again from morning till night, and go on thus during the whole of the Wood- 

 cock season. 



Now and then, the American Woodcock, after being pursued for a con- 

 siderable time, throws itself into the centre of large miry places, where it is 

 very difficult for either man or dog to approach it; and indeed if you suc- 

 ceed, it will not rise unless you almost tread upon it. In such cases I have 

 seen dogs point at them, when they were only a few inches distant, and after 

 several minutes seize upon them. When in clear woods, such as pine 

 barrens, the Woodcock on being put up flies at times to a considerable 

 distance, and then performs a circuit and alights not far from you. It is 

 extremely attached to particular spots, to which it returns after being dis- 

 turbed. 



Its flight is performed by constant rather rapid beats of the wings, and 

 while migrating it passes along with great speed. I am inclined to think its 

 flight is greatly protracted, on account of the early periods at which it 

 reaches Maine and New Brunswick: — I may be wrong, but I am of opinion 

 that at such times it flies faster than our little Partridge. In proceeding, it 

 inclines irregularly to the right and left at the end of every few yards; but 

 when it has been put up after having settled for awhile, it rises as if not 

 caring about you, and at a slow pace goes a few yards and alights again, runs 

 a few steps and squats to await your departure. It is less addicted to wading 

 through the water than the Snipe, and never searches for food in salt marshes 

 or brackish places. Rivulets that run through thickets, and of which the 

 margins are muddy or composed of oozy ground, are mostly preferred by it; 

 but, as I have already said, its place of abode depends upon the state of the 

 weather and the degree of temperature. 



The food of the Woodcock consists principally of large earthworms, of 

 which it swallows as many in the course of a night as would equal its own 

 weight; but its power of digestion is as great as that of the Heron's, and it 

 is not very often that on opening one you find entire worms in its stomach. 

 It obtains its food by perforating the damp earth or mire, and also by turning 

 the dead leaves in the woods, and picking up the worms that lie beneath 

 them. In captivity, Woodcocks very soon accustom themselves to feed on 

 moistened corn meal, bits of cheese, and vermicelli soaked in water. I have 

 seen some that became so gentle as to allow their owner to caress them with 

 the hand. On watching several individuals probing mud in which a number 

 of earthworms had been introduced, in a tub placed in a room partially 

 darkened, I observed the birds plunge their bills up to the nostrils, but never 

 deeper; and from the motion of the parts at the base of the mandibles, I 

 concluded that the bird has the power of working their extremities so as to 

 produce a kind of vacuum, which enables it to seize the worm at one end, 



