284 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



In frosty weather, or when snow is on the ground, 

 never look for him where the ground is hard, but 

 by the edges of rivulets and overhanging banks of 

 streams, or near running springs on the mountain's 

 side ; there you are sure to find him. 



By a little intelligent adaptation of these general 

 rules, John and I managed to be fairly successful. 



In regard to the flight of the Woodcock, many 

 people have the idea that the bird is very easy to 

 shoot; that depends upon the circumstances. Given 

 a bird that is quite unsophisticated after he has just 

 come in, and before a shot has been fired at him, if 

 he gets up in front of you in a nice easy open spot, 

 you will probably get a shot at a bird that flies 

 somewhat like an Owl. The reverse of these 

 conditions would be a bird that has been in some 

 time and is well up to snuff, having, very likely, 

 been shot at and missed. Put up such a bird 

 amongst the rocks on the mountain side, and he will 

 dart over and round them before you have scarcely 

 had time to put your gun to your shoulder ; or, 

 again, put such a bird up in a wood where there are 

 plenty of alders and thick growth, and there is no 

 harder bird in this world, for he darts off" like an 

 arrow, with a twist and a turn, and when you 

 try to shoot ahead of him he always manages very 

 cleverly to put a tree between himself and you. 



This species is very widely distributed abroad. 

 *' It nests in the vast forests of Scandinavia and 

 Russia ; a smaller number breeding over the rest 

 of Europe up to the limit of tree growth as far south 



