fomewhat heavy, but on being again difturbed it flies with 
great rapidity to a fliort 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 moft 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 trails in the weft of England ; its food is principally 
worms and fmall aquatic infe£ls, for the fearch of which its 
bill is moft admirably adapted, the knob at the tip being fur- 
niflied with a number of very minute glands fufceptible of the 
fineft feeling. 
Theflefti of the Woodcock being highly efteemed, it is fought 
after by the fportfman with the moft perfevering induftry ; 
they begin to leave this country about'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 parts 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. 
