Mr. E. Lambert' s Obferv.it Ions on the Migration of Birds* 13 



ralift), has complained to me of this bird ; for, when he was fome- 

 times on the point of catching a fine moth late to the evening 

 (10 o'clock), this bird would come as fwift as lightning, and fnap it 

 up before him.. I have fhot two of thcie birds. 



Woodcock. 

 The woodcock I once faw the firft of October, N. S. in this inland 

 county; and a couple was trior, this prefent feafon that very fame 

 day on fome heath about three miles from my houfe. But a perfon 

 living- at Uphill, the neareft point of land to the Steep Holms in 

 the Briftol channel, and who rented that little ifland for the ufe of 

 Hilling, allured me he never knew the month of September pais 

 without feeing woodcocks on that ifland. I have had two ncfts in 

 my wood; the laft was in the year 1789. It had four eggs. The 

 old bird was loth to get out of the neft ; as the had fat, as near as 

 I could guefs, about a fortnight. I took one of the eggs and blew 

 it, and have it by me now. But I do not believe the young ones 

 are ever bred up in this country to be fhot at, as you have heard: 

 for Mr. Seymer had one lived all the fummer in a coppice near his 

 houfe ; and though it was a place well calculated to maintain a 

 bird that lived on fuclion, yet the bird loft almoft all his feathers, 

 and could not fly for fome time, fo that it was often caught : but 

 in the autumn it recovered its feathers and ftrength, and flew away. 

 This I had from Mr. Seymer. himfelf, and. other gentlemen whom 

 he ufed to fhew the bird to. 



Snipe,, 



The fnipes breed in great numbers on the bogs in the New Fo- 



reft, Hants ; and. always come to us in September, and fometimes in 



Auguft. Some years ago two neighbours fent me five couple the 



fecond week in Auguft, telling me at the fame time they never faw 



them. 



