524 BIRDS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER 



much attention. They found the female on the nest. Mr. Wild 

 approached her as closely as possible and resting one knee on 

 the ground, made a sketch of the bird. While working at this, 

 some involuntary movement, caused by his strained position, 

 frightened the bird from her nest. In the nest to their surprise, 

 five eggs were displayed. I had never heard of so large a clutch 

 of woodcock eggs in one setting and these now adorn my collec- 

 tion. They are finely marked and are the envy of every collec- 

 tor who has seen them. 



During the breeding season the soaring flight of these birds 

 is an interesting sight, and one that comparatively few observers 

 have been privileged to witness. Loitering in their favored 

 haunts at dusk one's attention is first attracted by a rather harsh 

 call note, a sort of a squawk, uttered by the bird while on the 

 ground. By going cautiously in the direction of the call, mak- 

 ing advances only when the bird is in the air, it is possible to 

 approach within a few feet of the spot from which it starts and 

 to which it will return after each flight. After sweeping along 

 the ground for about 40 yards it ascends spirally into the air 

 until almost out of sight in the increasing darkness. It continues 

 to soar for a short time and then suddenly drops down in a zig- 

 zag course to the spot from which it started. It then struts 



about and calls for a few minutes and is off again on another 

 flight. 



It requires an experienced eye to detect the breeding bird, 

 as its plumage blends so naturally with the surroundings. How 

 deceptively the colors of ihe bird harmonize with those of the 

 ground about the nest is a never-ending wonder. See cut with 

 bird on nest, on the following page. 



Sometimes the weather is very unfavorable for them, as in 

 the spring of 1904, when we found the woodcock in hard luck. 

 In our neighborhood, April 13th is usually the time to look for 

 full sets of woodcock's eggs. That year was no exception to 

 the rule, although at the time referred to we had been visited by 

 a heavy snowfall, which covered the ground to the depth of eight 

 inches. The snow had been partially melted by the sun, but 

 Was frozen hard during the ensuing night. Two days later 

 another snowstorm occurred. The next morning found us on 

 the ground, which is an ideal locality for the nesting of this bird. 

 The ground was then completely covered with about five inches 

 of crusted snow. In company with several friends, we immed- 



