fomewhat heavy, but on being again difturbed it flies with 

 great rapidity to a fhort diftance, making conftantly for 

 the firft break, where it drops, and then runs. Owing to 

 the fimilarity of colour, this bird 'is not readily difcovered 

 among the dead leaves and fern at the fall of the year ; in very 

 fevere weather, when mod of the little pools are frozen, it 

 becomes much tamer than at other times ; at this feafon it 

 frequently quits the interior of the country, and retires to the 

 woody tra&s in the weft of England ; its food is principally 

 worms and fmall aquatic infects, for the fearch of which its 

 bill is mod admirably adapted, the knob at the tip being fur- 

 nifhed with a number of very minute glands fufceptible of the 

 fineft feeling. 



Theflefh of theWoodcock being highly efteemed, it is fought 

 after by the fportfman with the moft perfevering induftry ; 

 they begin to leave this country abouf the latter end of March, 

 and from that time till the middle of April, they approach the 

 coafts, and wait the firft fair wind to quit their winter refi- 

 dences ; this fpecies is widely difperfed through the whole 

 European continent. They are faid to breed in the woods 

 and forefts of the northern provinces ; at the decline of the 

 year they difperfe themfelves over the other Rarts of Europe ; 

 their migrations are ufually performed during the night, in 

 fmall flocks of from four to fix, moft probably confifting of 

 the parent birds and brood. 



