WOODCOCK. 



559 



those parts than in the winter ; and each has a white streak from the 

 base of the bill passing down the neck on the edge of the black. 



It is more than probable that this and the spring-wagtail have been 

 sometimes confounded. In the British Zoology mention is made of that 

 bird remaining all the year in Hampshire ; probably taken from Mr. 

 White's Natural History of Selborne, p. 38, who says, " wagtails, both 

 white and yellow, remain with us all the winter." And in the Naturalist's 

 Calendar, it says, p. 8, " grey and white wagtails appear January the 

 2nd ;" again, p. 12, " yellow wagtails appear from January 25th to 

 April 14th." It seems evident, therefore, this author did not dis- 

 criminate the two species. In the Linnsean Transactions, i. p. 126, 

 Mr. Markwick says, " The white, grey, and yellow wagtails are often 

 seen in the middle of winter, although the generality of them disappear 

 in autumn." From this account it should seem this bird was found in 

 those parts during summer. We have, however, never had ocular 

 proof that this bird remains with us in summer, and are inclined to 

 believe the confusion of the species has given rise to the idea. 



*" In the northern parts of the kingdom," says Selby, " it is a regu- 

 lar summer visitant, arriving in April, and retiring, with few excep- 

 tions, about the end of September, or the beginning of the following 

 month. Previous to its departure, it assembles in small nocks or fami- 

 lies, which haunt the meadows, or bare pastures ; and, at this time, 

 having acquired their winter's plumage, the young and adults closely 

 resemble each other. It commences nidification very soon after its 

 arrival, usually in the stony bank, or a shelf of the rocky precipice that 

 so often borders our nothern rivers. The nest is made of moss and 

 dry grasses, lined with hair ; and the eggs, commonly six in number, 

 are of a yellowish grey, blotched by a darker shade of the same colour. 

 It produces two broods in the year ; the first of which is in general 

 fledged by the end of May." * It is a solitary species, frequenting 

 watery places and clear and shallow streams, where it feeds upon various 

 aquatic insects. 



WITCH.— A name for the Petrel. 



WIT WALL. — A name for the Whitwall. 



WOOD CHAT.— A name for the Wood Shrike. 



WOODCOCK (Scolopax rusticola, Linn^us.) 



Scolopax rusticola, Gmel. Syst. 2. 660. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 713. 1. — Temm. 

 Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 673.— Flem. Br. Anim. p. 105.— Raii, Syn. p. 104. A. !.— 

 Briss. 5. p. 292. 1.— La Becasse, Buff. Ois. 7. p. 462. 25.— Woodcock, Br. 



Zool. 2. No. 178. t. 65.— 16. fol. 119 Arct. Zool. 2. p. 470. A. — lb. Supp. p. 



68. — Will. (Angl.) p. 289. t. 53.— Albin, 1. t. 70.— Borlas. Cornw. p. 245. t. 



24. f. 12 Lath. Syn. 5. p. 129. 1.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 4. t. 156 — Wale. Syn. 



2. t. 136.— Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 14 Rural Sports, 2. t. p. 434.— Bewick's 



Br. Birds, 2. t. p. 60. 



