in the United States and in which simple comparison of status during the 
fall flight was made by use of the terms "no change," "increase," and 
"decrease." 
When analyzed on a percentage basis, a remarkable consistency was found 
in the percentage of observers who could detect no change in the number seen 
in 1940 and in 1939. The figures were 54 and 55 percent respectively. In 
the reports of increase and decrease, however there was great variance. 
In 1939, 35% reported an increase, while in 1940 only 14% could detect any 
improvement, and whereas only 10% reported decrease in 1939, in 1940 this 
figure rose to 32%. On the basis of such reports only one conclusion could 
be drawn, namely, that the numerical strength of the Be was not satis— 
factory. 
In order that a more thorough check-up might be made, while the birds 
were on the important Louisiana wintering grounds, Russell T. Norris, a 
collaborator of the Service, was appointed assistant to Mississippi Flyway 
Biologist C. E. Gillham, and sent to that state for an intensive investi- 
gation that covered the period December 1940 to February 1941. Mr. Norris 
had received his training on woodcock under Dr. Logan J. Bennett, leader 
of the Pennsylvania Wildlife Research Unit. 
On the grounds in Louisiana he was indefatigable in his search for 
information and spent night after night traveling widely and in many 
little-known sections, as he studied the birds. Operations were started in 
the parishes of Tangipahoa and St. Tammany where much time was devoted to 
working over the small strips of cypress and tupelo that occur in every low 
area throughout these pine iands. No concentration of birds could be found. 
The investigator then moved to Plaquemines where in the region along the 
bottomlands of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers there is a great deal 
of almost impenetrable swamp land. The drainage of the Atchafalaya and 
surrounding country constitutes one of the largest swamps in the southern 
states. Much of it is covered with several feet of water and it is honey-— 
combed with small rivers and bayous. There are some canebrakes along the 
river and along the edges of the big swamps and these are used by woodcock 
as daytime coverts. In many sections, dense stends of Palmetto cover the 
forest floor and make excellent cover for the birds. 
After exhaustive work in country of this kind, Mr. Norris reported 
that while he was finding woodcock every night, he could not record any 
heavy concentration. In commenting on Norris's final report, Mr. Gillham 
stated that while he had not been entirely satisfied that the severe storm 
of January 1940, and following heavy kill by hunters had been responsible 
for great decrease in the numbers of woodcock and had believed that a 
nearly normal population of the birds would be present during the winter 
of 1940-41, Mr. Norris had proved that this was not the case and he added 
his own comment that "Woodcock were without doubt mech scarcer this winter 
than a year ago." 
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