Wr AY D-B.ON BUT MEECEN e 
Note on the Woodcock 
Peg yA, Se AE OIRIEIS 
‘| Pee the woodcock is in the habit of carrying its young has been 
recorded a number of times. Forbush states that the matter has been 
reported by many observers with many variations, from riding on the 
mother’s back to being carried in her claws. Bent mentions only one 
specific report: there the young were carried between the adult’s legs. 
However the exact method of procedure has seldom been recorded. It 
was my good fortune last May to see the performance in detail. 
We were spending the week-end at Klinger Lake near Sturgis in 
Southern Michigan. A very severe storm arose while we were break- 
fasting in the woods and after the downpour had somewhat slackened I 
elected to tramp through the swamp woods in search of the painted 
trillium said to be blooming there. Deep in the woods, just where the 
ground began to rise from the swamp I flushed a woodcock almost at my 
feet. The bird flew only about fifty yards and alighted. Thinking a nest 
or young might be near I leaned against a tree and after a few moments 
of quiet ““squeaked” a few times. Almost immediately a faint peep 
answered and looking closely I made out a single young squatting in the 
dead leaves within a few feet of where I was standing. The little fellow, 
about the size of a newly hatched chick, was wet and shivering and when 
disturbed tottered along in a weak uncertain manner, wings spread for 
balance, for all the world like a ballet dancer on tiptoe. 
As I picked him up he continually emitted a faint peeping sound. I 
replaced him in the leaves and resumed my station against the tree and 
waited. The youngster remained motionless where placed but continued 
his plaintive cry. Within five minutes an old bird, presumably the one 
I had flushed flew in a circle completely around where I was standing 
against the tree and alighted about a foot from the young, and within 
six feet of my position. Looking at me intently all the time she sidled and 
backed toward the little fellow till he was directly between her feet. All 
this time she had been standing fully erect. She now squatted down till 
the tarsi were flat on the ground, the body being at right angles to me 
though the bill was pointing directly at me. The feet and legs were 
moving slightly all the time, the “heels” apparently being brought 
almost together and the toes touching or almost interlaced. She moved 
her wings, raised slightly, settled again obviously for readjustment, again 
rose with the youngster firmly seated on her feet, with his little legs 
dangling below, his body held loosely in the angle of the adult’s legs. Her 
flight was low, slow and labored. She alighted some hundred and fifty 
yards away in the deeper swamp. After searching vainly for signs of a 
nest or other young, I followed up the line of flight. Although I had 
carefully marked the spot I was unable to find any further trace of them. 
