SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA. 
811 
only conjecture how it is produced ; hut from the character of the sound itself it is certainly akin to that 
made by the Snipe.'” 
The great depth of the sternal keel and consequent size of the pectoral muscles, together with the size of 
the head, render the Woodcock a heavy bird j and on the ground it is by no means agile as compared with 
other members of the Scolopacidse. It stands with the breast somewhat drooping, owing to its structure, 
combined with the rather backward position of the legs ; and when it runs it proceeds with a waddling 
gait, resembling that of a Duck, getting, however, over the ground with no little speed when it has been 
winged and is pursued. It has been contended (and much has been written on the subject in the ‘ Field ’ 
newspaper) that it “ rises from its bill,” employing it as a lever against the ground at the moment of its 
taking flight. This may be so ; but I imagine it is an optical illusion, which can be accounted for when we 
consider that rising suddenly from a state of rest, as is its habit, its heavy body and head and the shortness 
and backward position of its legs would naturally combine together to cause the whole frame to dip forward 
when the wings are quickly uplifted ; and as the normal position of the bill is pointing downwards, the tip 
would almost touch the ground were the head jerked forwards. By carefully examining the ground at the 
spot from which a bird rose the impression of the tip of the bill could be discovered were this expedient 
really resorted to by the bird, and thus the matter would be settled. I am not aware whether this has ever 
been done. When Woodcocks are flushed on the side of a hill they almost invariably fly down the slope ; 
their flight is moderately quick, somewhat irregular, and performed with heavy flappings of the pinions, 
between which there is often a perceptible interval longer than the rest. When suddenly surprised the 
^ oodcock sometimes resorts to a singular expedient of concealment. It squats on the ground, and throwing 
back its head erects its bill quite perpendicularly, so that it looks like a short stick. A friend of mine, who 
once caught sight of one in this position when snow was lying in the cover, informs me that it was most 
difficult to distinguish it from the surrounding objects as it squatted on the snow with its bill erect and 
completely motionless. 
In former days Woodcocks were caught in numbers in snares : the following paragraph in Montagu’s 
'Dictionary’ relates to the method of their capture : — " Springers are usually set in moist places on the verge of 
woods, especially where the fowler perceives perforations made by the bill of the Woodcock, termed borings. 
.... In such places a common ground-spring is formed of an elastic stick, to which is fastened a horsehair 
noose, which is put through a hole in a peg fastened into the ground, to which a trigger is annexed ; and in 
order to compel the Woodcock to walk into the trap an extended fence is made on each side by small sticks 
set up close enough to prevent the bird passing between ; these concentre at the trap, so that in this funnel- 
shaped fence the Woodcock on feeding is compelled to pass through the narrow passage, and is almost to a 
certainty caught by the legs.” 
In the north of England, where the Woodcocks resort to moist places in the open fells to feed, it is a 
common practice with fowlers to build a little wall or row of stones, about 10 inches in height, across or 
alongside some ascertained feeding-place ; and in this wall a narrow opening is left in which a horsehair noose 
is placed, of the same description as that above described. When the Woodcock, in walking about in search 
of its food, comes to the wall it runs along it until it finds the opening, through which it invariably passes, 
and is secured by the legs in the noose set for it. Mr. Seebohm informs me that theOsfl-yaks adopt precisely 
the same method of catching Sandpipers on the Yenesay, making their “walls ” of drift-wood or any substance 
they can lay hands on. In the west of England it is caught in glade-nets, which are spread across narrow 
glades, down which it flies on coming out into the open to feed. 
One of the most interesting habits of this beautiful bird is the practice of flying backwards and forwards 
in the breeding-season over a particular line of country in the evening and morning before going to and 
returning from its feeding-grounds. This is called “rfiding;” and during it is on the wing it utters its peculiar 
notes. A Scandinavian author, Mr. Ekstrbm, has written an interesting account of this habit, extracts from 
which are given in Mr. Lloyd’s work on the game-birds of Scandinavia, and portions of which I here 
subjoin : — “ During its morning and evening flights at this time, the Woodcock gives utterance to a peculiar 
call-note, which sportsmen express by knort, knort, knisp, or more properly, perhaps, by orrt, orrt, pisp. The 
first, knort or orrt, is a hollow, coarse, and somewhat lengthened nasal sound ; the second, knisp or pisp, a short 
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