AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
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Entered according to Act of Congress, in June, 1871, by Orangk Judd & Co., at the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
VOLUME XXX— No. 7. 
NEW YORK, JULY, 1871. 
NEW SERIES— No. S94. 
THE WOODCOCK'S 
Of all American birds the Woodcock is the 
most prized by sportsmen. Not only does its 
excellent quality upon the table commend it to 
their attention, but the skill required in finding 
its haunts, and the difficulty experienced in 
flushing it, are such that the true sportsman 
thinks more of bringing home a brace or two of 
•woodcock, than he does of a bag-full of olher 
birds. So secluded is the bird in its habits, that 
many ridiculous stories have been told about 
its manner of feeding. It is a popular notion 
that it feeds by "suction", — if any one knows 
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FEEDING GROUND . — Drawn and Engraved for the American Agricultural. 
what that means. The fact is that the Wood- 
cock is mainly a nocturnal bird, only flying at 
dusk, unless startled from its covert by the ap- 
proach of danger. Its principal feeding-time is 
also at night, unless in some densely shaded 
spot, where the daylight is obscured by an 
abundance of undergrowth. The favorite re- 
treats of the bird are moist lands, where there 
is a heavy covering of ferns, briers, and similar 
wild growth. Its long bill is well adapted to 
probing the soft ground, and its senses are so 
acute, that it detects a hidden worm or grub 
with the greatest accuracy. It is sometimes 
found in woods, turning over the dead leaves 
in search of any larvae that may be concealed 
beneath them. The Woodcock is an enormous 
feeder, and is said to devour in a single night a 
quantity of worms equal to its own weight. 
Its digestion is very rapid, as it is rare to 
find, upon opening the bird, any undigested 
food. In captivity the birds have been taught 
to take vegetable food by mixing soaked bread 
with worms. In searching after the worms the 
birds become accustomed to the vegetable food. 
