INTRODUCTION 
John W. Aldrich 
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Investigations of the American Woodcock and Wilson's Snipe dur- 
ing 1952 have been devoted largely to attempts to improve inventory 
methods on wintering and breeding grounds. New findings relative to 
the habits of these birds have given us a better basis for evaluating 
the data obtained by inventory techniques which have been tried to 
date. 
A Woodcock wintering ground study by Reid and Goodrum in Louisiana 
indicated a 50 percent decrease in this species from the preceding 
year. It was thought, however, that this decrease on the study area 
was due to drought conditions and was compensated for by increases in 
other areas in other parts of the Gulf Coast region. This theory was 
substantiated by observations by Leslie L. Glasgow (in lit.) of large 
increases in woodcock in his study areas near Baton Rouge, La., where 
with the aid of one other person he was able to band 156 of these 
birds in one night before 2:00 A.M. 
Woodcock singing ground counts were made by cooperators in the 
same States and Canadian Provinces as previously and were compiled by 
Victor Solman in Canada, Howard L. Mendall in the Northeastern States, 
Pp, F. English in the Central Eastern States, and John W. Aldrich in 
the Central Northern States. These counts are now distributed so that 
they sample the most important parts of the woodcock's breeding range. 
A summary of results is given in Table l. 
Arrangements were made with Edward Kozicky and T. A. Bancroft to 
have a statistical study made in the Iowa State College statistical 
laboratory of data obtained by present methods of inventorying wood- 
cock on their breeding grounds. Special attention was paid during the 
year by investigators to the variables connected with our present 
methods to facilitate appraisal of their statistical reliability. 
Studies of woodcock behavior on their breeding grounds in 
Massachusetts by William G. Sheldon and his cooperators have dis- 
closed facts most pertinent to inventory work. These studies are 
mentioned briefly beyond but will be the subject of a much more 
detailed report by Sheldon at a later date. 
Investigations of inventory methods for the Wilson's Snipe were 
intensified. Chandler S. Robbins of the Fish and Wildlife Service 
