WOODCOCK. Class II. 



appearance and difappearance in Sweden ; coin- 

 cides mod exactly with that of their arrival in, 

 and their retreat from Great Britain*. They live 

 on worms and infecls, which they fearch for with 

 their long bills in foft ground and moid woods. 

 Woodcocks generally arrive here in flocks, taking 

 advantage of the night, or a mift : they foon fepa- 

 rate ; but before they return to their native 

 haunts, pair. They feed and fly by night ; be- 

 ginning their flight in the evening, and return the 

 fame way, or through the fame glades to their 

 day retreat. They leave England the latter end of 

 February, or beginning of March \ not but they 

 have been known to continue here accidentally. 

 In Cafe-wood, about two miles from Timbridge, a 

 few breed almoft annually : the young having 

 been fhot there the beginning of Auguft, and were 

 as healthy and vigorous as they are with us in the 

 winter, but not fo well tailed : a female with egg 

 was ihot in that neighbourhood in April-, the egg 



* M. de Gcer's and Dr. Wallerius's letters to myfelf. M. de 

 Geer exprefies himfelf thus ; La BecaJ/e (Scolopax rufticola) 

 part d'zci 'vers Vantomne, Je ne fcais pas au jufte dans quel 

 mois. On la trowve ici ajjez en abondance dans Pete. Elle a 

 coutume aufoleil couch ant de faire fa wolee en cercle ou tcujours en 

 rond en Pair re<venant toujours dans le me me endroit a plufteurs 

 reprifes, et c'ejl alors qti'on peut la tirer a ccup de fujil. En hi<ver 

 qu ne <uoit aucune, elle partent alors toutes. 



M. Wallerius gave me this account of them. Scolopaces rajli- 

 coltz penes nos nidificant, Sed autumnali tempore ah sunt, ac ver- 

 noli redeunt, 



was 



