WOODCOCK. 
247 
resembles the Woodcock of Europe, but is considerably less, 
and very differently marked below, being an entirely distinct 
species. A few traits will clearly point out their differences. 
The lower parts of the European W oodcock are thickly barred 
with dusky waved lines, on a yellowish white ground. The 
present species has those parts of a bright ferruginous. The 
male of the American species weighs from five to six ounces, 
the female, eight; the European, twelve. The European 
Woodcock makes its first appearance in Britain in October 
and November, that country being in fact only its winter 
quarters ; for, early in March, they move off to the northern 
parts of the Continent to breed. The American species, on 
the contrary, winters in countries south of the United States, 
arrives here early in March, extends its migrations as far, at 
least, as the river St Lawrence, breeds in all the intermediate 
places, and retires again to the south on the approach of 
winter. The one migrates from the torrid to the temperate 
regions, the other, from the temperate to the arctic. The two 
birds, therefore, notwithstanding their names are the same, 
differ not only in size and markings, but also in native climate. 
Hence the absurdity of those who would persuade us, that the 
Woodcock of America crosses the Atlantic to Europe, and 
vice versa . These observations have been thought necessary, 
from the respectability of some of our own writers, who seem 
to have adopted this opinion. 
How far to the north our Woodcock is found, I am unable 
to say. It is not mentioned as a bird of Hudson’s Bay, and, 
being altogether unknown in the northern parts of Europe, it 
is very probable that its migrations do not extend to a very 
high latitude ; for, it may be laid down as a general rule, that 
those birds which migrate to the arctic regions, in either 
continent, are very often common to both. The head of the 
Woodcock is of singular conformation, large, somewhat trian- 
gular, and the eye fixed at a remarkable distance from the bill, 
and high in the head. This construction was necessary to 
give a greater range of vision, and to secure the eye from 
injury, while the owner is searching in the mire. The flight 
