Chirps and 
Chatter. 
(2) 
THE BIRD WORLD. 
recent work, “ The Parish Clerk,” runs 
as follows:—Many years ago ecclesias¬ 
tical matters in some parts of the 
county named wete in a very slack state 
owing to the prevalence of pluralism 
and absenteeism. In some cases there 
would be services in a village church 
only once a month. It happened on 
one of these monthly occasions that on 
the arrival of the curate at the 
church he was met by the clerk 
at the door, who, pulling his forelock, 
addressed him as follows: “ Sir, do yew 
mind a prachin’ in the readin’ desk to¬ 
day?” “Yes,” was the reply; “the 
pulpit is the proper place.” “ Well, 
sir, you see we fare to have an old Guse 
a sittin’ in the pulpit. She’ll be arf 
her eggs to-morrer; ’twould be a shame 
to take her arf to-day.” Mr. Dffchfield 
does not tell us what the curate did in 
this unparalleled emergency. 
A Relative of the Moorhens. 
The history of the nearly extinct 
Notornis, “the Southern bird,” is in¬ 
teresting. It was first known as a 
fossil, and described by Owen from a 
skull. Soon afterwards a specimen was 
taken alive, and its skin is now in the 
British Museum. Another living speci¬ 
men was obtained, and then for some 
time nothing but fossil remains. It 
was feared it had become extinct, but 
a third living example was oDtained in 
1879, and, in spite of difficulties, the 
species has managed to prolong its exis¬ 
tence up to the present. The Notornis 
is related to the Moorhens. Besides 
these living flightless forms, New 
Zealand possesses a number of fossil 
wingless birds 
Does the Woodcock Carry its Young? 
The young Woodcock are hatched 
early in May, and almost immediately 
are able to leave the nest and run 
about. Latterly, a great deal of uncer¬ 
tainty has arisen as to whether or not 
the parent birds are able to carry their 
children should occasion demand it. 
One instance is related of the old bird 
carrying one of her young across the 
River Dee. It would be interesting to 
know whether she brought it over again 
after the danger had passed, as other¬ 
wise she would have had two or three 
young on one side, and the remaining 
one on the other side of the stream. 
Apparently, the mother bird carried the 
chick in her claws. Another rather 
curious fact in connection with the 
woodcock is its very late nesting. As 
late as July 28th a nest with the young 
just emerging from the shell has been 
found, and as the usual nesting month 
is April, it would seem as though this 
was a second nesting, and keepers say 
that they have seen eggs as late as 
August. Formerly, it was thought that 
most of the Woodcock were only winter 
visitors to this country, and retired 
North to breed; but now many of the 
birds nest in Scottish forests. 
The Spring Note of the Woodcock. 
With the coming of spring the Wood¬ 
cock throws off his winter shyness, and 
flies at nightfall over the woods where 
his mate is sitting. This trait in the 
Woodcock’s character is especially in¬ 
teresting, for during the winter months 
it is very exceptional to see him flying 
openly in the evening. About March 
15th, however, he apparently throws off 
his reserve, and every evening, just as 
dusk is coming on, may be seen flying 
over the woods, with curious vibrating 
wing-beats, so unlike his flight when 
flushed in the winter. Every now and 
again he utters his sh^rp note, 
“ Chisik! ” which can be heard at quite 
a long distance. Backwards and for¬ 
wards he flies, all the while uttering 
what is probably his love-song, until 
darkness; but after dark we have never 
heard one. This curious performance 
is gone through regularly till late June 
or early July. This is one of the most 
interesting features of the bird. Some¬ 
times two birds may be seen chasing 
each other, and all the while uttering 
their note very loudly and rapidly. 
The Woodcock is a very early nester, 
the hen sometimes sitting on her eggs 
amid the snow. The nest is generally 
made among the bracken and under¬ 
growth in woods, and the birds seem to 
be very partial to clumps of birches. 
A slight hollow is scraped in the 
