2o8 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
men, and with some chestnut patches on the throat and fore- 
neck. 
Characters.— The differences between old and young Wood- 
cocks have been well demonstrated by Mr. W. R. Olgivie-Grant 
in a paper in the “Zoologist” for 1890. The best test, m my 
opinion is the uniform whitish outer web of the first primary m 
the old birds, this being clearly notched all along the outer web 
in young individuals. These notches gradually disappear and 
become obsolete ; the buff sub-terminal line which separates the 
black of the tail from the ashy tip is also a sign of immaturity, 
but as this is retained by many adult birds for some time, it is 
not so worthy a character. 
Eange in Great Britain. — Except in some of the most barren 
portions of our islands, the Wood cock breeds in the wooded 
districts, and has considerably increased in numbers a.s a nesting 
bird with us of late years, principally owing to the increase of 
plantations. In Ireland, it is said by Mr. Ussher, to be found 
breeding in every county. A great migration takes place in 
spring and autumn, the birds passing over the whole of our 
islands, even such places as the Orkneys and Shetland Isles, 
where, however, they do not breed. By the time that the 
spring migration has set in, many of our resident Wood-cocks 
have already begun to nest. 
Eange outside the British Islands.— The Wood-COck is generally 
distributed over Europe, but does not ascend very far north. 
In Eastern Russia and Siberia its range does not extend farther 
than 60“ N. lat; in Western Russia to 65' N. lat., and in 
Scandinavia up to the Arctic Circle. It is found nesting also 
in Eastern Siberia and the mountains of Japan, as well as in 
the Himalayas at 10,000 feet , also in the Caucasus and the 
mountains of Southern Europe. In winter it visits the countries 
of the Mediterranean, India, Burma, and China, but it breeds, 
to the south, in the Azores, Canary Islands, and Madeira. It 
has been once found in the Faeroes, but has not been recorded 
from Iceland or Southern Greenland, though individuals have 
occasionally straggled to the coasts of North America. 
Hahits.— The Wood-cock is a very shy and retiring bird, 
and is but seldom seen in the open, except during the season 
