86 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
horizontal flight, however, renders it no difficult mark to the 
sportsman, particularly when assisted by his sagacious pointer. 
The flesh of this bird is peculiarly white, tender and delicate, 
and unequalled by that of any other of its genus in the United 
States. There is only one species of Quail at present known 
within the United States.”— Wilson's Am. Ornithology. 
THE WOODCOCK. 
Scolopax Minor.—La Becasse d'Amerique — Brissot. The Mud- 
Snipe , Blind Snipe , Big-headed Snipe , Bog-Sucker. 
“Male, 11.16. Female, 11^.171 
“ Distributed throughout the country, extremely abundant in 
the Middle and Eastern Districts, as well as in the interior, 
where it breeds as far as Nova Scotia. Equally abundant in 
winter, in the Southern States, though many migrate Southward. 
“ Adult Male. 
“ Bill double the length of the head, straight, slender, taper¬ 
ing, sub-trigonal, and deeper than broad at the base, slightly 
depressed toward the end. Upper mandible, with the dorsal 
line straight; the ridge narrow, toward the end flattened; the 
sides nearly erect, sloping outward toward the soft, obtuse 
edges; the tip blunt, knob-like, and longer than that of the 
lower mandible. Nostrils basal, lateral, lineal, very small. 
Lower mandible broader than the upper ; the angle very long 
and narrow, the dorsal line straight, the back broadly rounded, 
the sides marked with a deep groove, sloping inward at the 
base, outward toward the end, the edges soft and obtuse, the 
tip rounded. 
“ Head rather large, oblong, narrowed anteriorly ; eyes large, 
and placed high. Neck short and thick. Body rather full. 
Feet rather short; tibia feathered to the joint; tarsus rather 
short, compressed, covered in front by numerous scutella; on 
the sides and behind with sub-hexagonal scales, and having a 
row of small scutelliform scales along the outer side behind. 
Toes free, slender, the first very small, the second slightly 
