WOODCOCKS AND THEIR YOUNG.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I believe the fact of woodcocks carrying their young when small to feeding grounds is so well authenticated as to hardly be worth recording, but the following incident which I last week witnessed seems to me to be. I was walking through a wood here—a man immediately behind—when we nearly trod upon three young woodcocks under a large oak tree. They flew away and pitched some little distance off. A fluttering went on on the ground, when the old woodcock slowly rose-, carrying in her claws a young one more than half as large as herself I It was so heavy she could hardly carry it. She glided gently down, perhaps fifteen yards off, put it in some' dried fern leaves and grass, and flew away after the others. She seemed to wrap her tail round it, holding it firmly in her claws. I was within a yard of her when she started, and was amazed at the performance.—I am, Sir, &c., Cloglian Castle, Banagher, Ireland. E. R. DURNFORD.
Previous page
