, 1889-08-27
WooDcocKs AND WORMS.
They Initiated the Sound of Rain Upon
the Ground and the Worms Came Up.

They Initiated the Sound of Rain Upon
the Ground and the Worms Came Up.
When the moon rose | took a po-
sition near one of the moist places,
where the borings were freshest and
most plentiful, and awaited develop
ments. For a long time the bright
light of the moon fell upon the spot
| wished to observe, and l could see
everything with the utmost plainness.
AT about s o'clock a woodcock drop
ped down silently beside the brook.
Presently another bird walked out of
the shadow and joined it. Both began
to ''bore" for worms, an operation |
had never seen before, and a curious
performance it was. The birds would
rest their bills upon the mud and
stand in this position for several sec
onds, as if listening. Then with a sud
den. swift movement, they would
drive the bill its entire length in the
soil, hold it so for. a second, and then
as swiftly withdraw it. Though |
watched the birds carefully with the
glass. | could not detect the presence
of a worm in their bills when they
were Withdrawn.
But the subsequent process gave me
the clew TO their method of feeding.
After having bored over n consider
able piece Of ground-a square foot or
more-they proceeded to execute what
looked comically like a war dance
upon the perforated territory. They
also occasionally tapped the ground
with the tips of their wings. My in
tense curiosity to know the possible
utility of this process was at length
gratiiied by seeing Il worm crawl, half
length, from one of the borlngs, when
1t was Immediately bounced upon and
devoured by one of the woodcock.
Presently another worm made its APP
pearance, and 50 on until the wood
cocks had dcyourcd rs many as a doz-
ell of them. Then the vein" seemed
exhausted. and the birds took their
leave.
| have subsequently studied the
philosophy Of this method of digging
bait, and have come 10 the conclusion
that certain birds are a great deal wis
or Than certain bipeds without feath-
ers. If you will take n sharpened
stick and drive il into the ground n
number of times, in a spot which is
prolific with worms, and then tap on
the ground with the stick for a few
minutes, you viii find that the worms
VIII come 10 IL surface. and that they
will ono up through the holes which
you have made. / account for it by
tn" GuppnaitIou that the tapping of the
sl'ci somehow affects the worms the
same us tue patter OF rain, and it is u
wei known fact that worms come To
the surface of the ground when X
rains. Tue antics of the w~oodeocis
aitsF they he'd ilade their borings.
then. were simply rninctic, and in
tended To doludc worms into the be.
hef that it Was raining in the upper
world. Tho worms, being deceived,
came mp and were devoured. Ali
this may seem ridiculous, but, if it i,
uot true, will some naturalist please
state how a voodcock can grasp ant
devour Il worm when its bill is con
fined IN IA solid, tight lifting tunnel Of
soil, and also how it is enabled tC
know the exact spot where it may
sink its bill and strike the-worm2 AND
further. of all those who have seen 6
woodcocls feeding, how many evel
saw it withdraw n worm from tho
ground with lis billi-Forest anC
-fYraul.