-I 
■WOODCOCK. 
steep, in fact, was tlio fall, that it was necessary to make a circuit to avoid the declivity. From below tliis 
rougli and overhanging iiank a Woodcock, apparently retarded by the weiglit of its oifspring, rose on wing, 
displaying at first an unsteady and wavering lliglit, but gaining increased speed after a few flaps, was soon lost 
sight of liehind tlie foliage of a spreading birch. Tlie light was far from good and the view obtained, lookin 
down on tlie bird from above, mucli against forming an aecurate opinion as to the manner in wliich a youn 
one, of whicli a mere glimpse could ho cauglit, was conveyed. In order to ascertain if other juveniles were 
in tlie vicinity, the retriever was limited over the ground and at once picked up a downy and querulous 
youngster, bearing a strong resemblance to a newly hatched Curlew, which she presented with the -reatest 
care. No furtlier captures were elfeeted, and sliortly after an old bird appeared on the scene flapping round 
for several minutes and eventually settling at a sliort distance. The youngster was then placed on an open 
spot where li.s cries might be lieard, and retiring into the cover, I watclied for some time, in the l.opes of 
seeing him carried off. Though several Woodcocks were observed on wing, none approached or alighted near at 
hand, and tlie darkness increasing I was at length forced to make my way homeivards. Being anxious to <min 
further information on tlie subject, I again visited the wood towards evening a few days after in company with 
a couple of keepers. The whole of the ground on whieh the birds were previously met witi, was explored without 
success ; then, as a last resource, liav.ng taken up a position on a lower slope, the men were despatched to 
beat crossw,ays through a portion of the wood and work gradually down tiie hill. At last, when within a 
couple of Imndrcd yards of my station, a shout gave warning that a Cook was astir; a moment later the liird 
Inderpmts'!''' “Pl»rently hearing a youngster pressed closely to the 
and tllr ‘r, ^ to diiror considerably on these two occasions ; light 
and the sh dovvs throvv-n by the foliage as well as the directions taken by the birds, liowever, combined to 
ms hate all attemp s o obtain a satisfactory insight into the proceedings. Were I to express an opinion as 
w o lid that tlie y oung one is grasped on rising by the feet of the old bird, whicli necessarily droop in the first 
r .-riT.:; : t'X — sr 
her young one, and after clutching it between the legs rise on wing and make off for otherluaZ“Iis 
to^rLTaZr^^^^^ 
rr “T™-- " 
movmnent: of the tail ai^l legs, l-ZLZZeZ^^ ‘“» 
younti'rzztr H 7"“ 
W hem they wo'ii.d inevitably perish unless carried to 
whicli this species uests, as far as I liavp hopn niiirv ^ ^ coverts in 
food might he obtained for the juveniles vvithin\he d;~^^^ 
theliours ofnigiit and early dawn, when the dew is on tlie m-ound tha the lVoo 1 “ ‘''’"“S 
prey ; worms and insects invisible by day are then obtainable in profu’sion 
more^inV:; .ramy ^“r^^’Zds Tf -'0 
of the keepers) to the long-continued dromdit In turn or°°thrce ' ’r' “"'"S ‘'>1= oi>inion 
.-.td, in two 01 tiiree instances I examined the unfortunates, lint 
to to 
