Cambridge, Mass.
1906. 
Dec. 2.
(No 2)
  Clear and cold with strong N. W. wind.
  After a period of activity this morning (noted on
the preceding page of this journal) the captive Woodcock
spent most of the day either standing or squatting
in a corner of his box. At sunset, however, he began
ranging actively about moving, for the most part, with
head well up at a quick firm walk very like that
of a Quail. He did not seem to be either frightened
or unduly nervous for he made no attempt to
escape from his cage either by thrusting his bill through
the slots or by springing upward. At length to my
great delight he began boring keeping it up at
intervals for about five minutes. Sitting in my arm
chair within four feet of the box, which was clearly
if not strongly lighted from the large windows just
behind me, I had a splendid opportunity (quite the
best that I have ever enjoyed) to watch the boring
performance and to note exactly how it was done.
Advancing very slowly in a crouching attitude the bird
would plunge his bill into the loose earth from one
to three or four times before taking another forward
step. The downward thrusts were made nearly vertically
and less swiftly and vigorously than I had remembered
or supposed. Indeed they were scarcely more energetic
and emphatic than are the movements of a domestic foul
when engaged in picking up corn. Yet despite the
comparatively leisurely and seemingly almost
effortless way in which they were performed the
long bill was thrust almost (but never quite) to its
base in the heavy loam. After making a number
Captive Woodcock
Boring for worms