246 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



woodcock killed each season in this country, the increase 

 that might well be expected from the greater plenty of 

 nesting birds has not yet made itself manifest. 



It is true, of course, that in those districts in which 

 woodcock now breed somewhat extensively rather 

 heavier bags than formerly are obtainable each season, 

 but the increase is not in any way proportionate to the 

 larger number bred ; in fact, it is known in one or two 

 cases that the proportion is very much smaller than 

 might have been reasonably anticipated. The woodcock 

 in a certain district are, we will say, increasing, so far as 

 nesting goes, at the rate of 25 per cent, per annum, but 

 the bags obtained do not represent anything larger than 

 an addition of some 5 per cent. The obvious inference 

 is that the remainder of the birds go off to other districts, 

 but even this does not take into account the possibility 

 that the larger total of birds killed may be represented to 

 some extent by a slight increase in foreign visitors coming 

 in the autumn. 



Seeing that upon the evidence collected it is plain 

 enough that the woodcock bred in any .particular locality 

 distribute themselves somewhat widely, the question then 

 arises : Where do they go to ? So far the answer to this 

 query is only partially answered, and it is still contended 

 by certain recognised authorities — men who have taken 

 great pains to discover the solution of this interesting 

 problem — that home-bred woodcock do not go so far 

 afield as might be supposed. Mr. Charles Dixon, for 

 instance, writing in that fine work of his, " The Game- 

 birds and Wild Fowl of the British Islands," says : — 



' ' Speaking from a naturalist's point of view, and with 

 a full knowledge of the habits of birds during the moulting 

 season, I should say emphatically that the woodcock 

 breeding in the British Islands are stationary ; that is, in 

 the sense of not crossing the seas. I am glad to say that 

 this opinion is confirmed by several intelligent game- 

 keepers, on whose grounds the bird breeds in fair numbers 

 every season." 



Now, of course, unless these birds are marked it is 

 impossible to say what may become of them, for it is freely 



