246 
WOODCOCK. 
customary with sportsmen who regularly pursue this diversion, 
to have two sets of dogs, to relieve each other alternately. 
The Woodcock usually begins to lay in April. The nest 
is placed on the ground, in a retired part of the woods, 
frequently at the root of an old stump. It is formed of a few 
withered leaves and stalks of grass laid with very little art. 
The female lays four, sometimes five eggs, about an inch and 
a half long, and an inch or rather more in diameter, tapering 
suddenly to the small end. These are of a dun clay colour, 
thickly marked with spots of brown, particularly at the great 
end, and interspersed with others of a very pale purple. The 
nest of the Woodcock has, in several instances that have come 
to my knowledge, been found with eggs in February ; but its 
usual time of beginning to lay is early in April. In July, 
August, and September, they are considered in good order 
for shooting. 
The Woodcock is properly a nocturnal bird, feeding chiefly 
at night, and seldom stirring about till after sunset. At such 
times, as well as in the early part of the morning, particularly 
in spring, he rises, by a kind of spiral course, to a considerable 
height in the air, uttering at times a sudden quack , till, having 
gained his utmost height, he hovers around in a wild irregular 
manner, making a sort of murmuring sound ; then descends 
with rapidity as he rose. When uttering his common note on 
the ground, he seems to do it with difficulty, throwing his 
head towards the earth, and frequently jetting up his tail. 
These notes and manoeuvres are most usual in spring, and are 
the call of the male to his favourite female. Their food 
consists of various larva, and other aquatic worms, for which, 
during the evening, they are almost continually turning over 
the leaves with their bill, or searching in the bogs. Their 
flesh is reckoned delicious, and prized highly. They remain 
with us till late in autumn, and, on the falling of the first 
snows, descend from the ranges of the Alleghany to the lower 
parts of the country in great numbers ; soon after which, viz. 
in November, they move off to the south. 
This bird, in its general figure and manners, greatly 
