390 RUSTICOLA SYLVESTRIS. 



able person who lived upon the coast, and who, being a keen 

 pursuer of wild fowl, was in the habit of frequenting the 

 sea-shore at an early hour in the morning, assured me that 

 he had more than once noticed the arrival of a flight of 

 Woodcocks coming from the north-east just at day-dawn. 

 His notice was first attracted by a peculiar sound in the air 

 over his head, that, upon attending to, he found proceeding 

 from birds descending in a direction almost perpendicular ; 

 and which, upon approaching the shore, separated and flew 

 towards the interior." Some of them which alighted in 

 hedges not far off he pursued and shot, and found them to 

 be what he had supposed. Mr. Selby infers from the above 

 statement that " they fly at a considerable altitude, to avoid, 

 it is presumed, the currents of air so frequent near the 

 surface of the earth." Mr. St. John remarks : — " No bird 

 seems less adapted for a long flight across the sea than the 

 Woodcock, and it is only by taking advantage of a favour- 

 able wind that they can accomplish their passage. An 

 intelligent master of a ship once told me, that in his voyage 

 to and from Norway and Sweden he has frequently seen 

 them, tired and exhausted, pitch for a moment or two with 

 outspread wings in the smooth water in the ship's wake ; 

 and having rested themselves for a few moments, continue 

 their weary journey." 



I do not see why writers on birds do not give the names 

 of the " respectable persons " and " intelligent masters of 

 ships " from whom they obtain information. When a lord, 

 baronet, squire, or even a poor professor supplies a fact, of 

 little value it may be, his name, title, and designation are 

 carefully recorded. But the Woodcock, which receives no 

 favours from respectable persons more than poachers, tries 

 to conceal itself the best way it can, all day long, in some 

 thicket or wood, resting quietly under a bush or tree, until 

 toward night, when it leaves its retreat and flies off to some 

 neighbouring field, meadow, or moor to search for food. 

 During the day it sits very close, and is not in general to be 

 flushed without the aid of a dog, or beating the bushes. 

 When it has cleared the trees, it flies off in an easy manner, 

 and requires no particular dexterity to shoot it. Frequently 



