PHEASANTS AND WOODCOCK 245 



visitation is expected, a keen look-out is kept. Tlie 

 birds are rarely seen approaching from a long 

 distance as in the case of the Fieldfare and the Red- 

 wing, but fly at an immense height and suddenly 

 appear as though dropping from the clouds. The 

 Woodcock is practically nocturnal, but it is one of 

 the curious features of migration that many birds 

 which are strictly diurnal also elect to travel by 

 nio-ht. 



One explanation is that the travellers are not 

 able to support the long fast that a day journey 

 would entail. By leaving at night they are able to 

 feed directly before starting, and also to procure 

 a meal on arrival. If this surmise is true, the 

 AA'oodcock, being a night-feeder, should travel by 

 day, but Scalopax as usual refuses to recognize 

 any theory which might naturally be set up for 

 the right governing of his conduct. 



On reaching the British shore he is usually tired, 

 and in the old days when shooting was less strictly 

 regulated, every native in possession of a gun at 

 once set off in his pursuit. Indeed, so important 

 was it to snatch the fleeting opportunity, that not 

 even respect for the Sabbath was allowed to 

 intervene. 



As befits a fowl with so strongly-marked a per- 

 sonality, the Woodcock has certain habits which 

 belong to himself alone. Many birds of his tribe 

 are devoted parents. The Snipe and the Ringed 

 Dotterel, for example, are adept in all artful wiles 

 for decoying an unwelcome visitor from their 

 families. But what wader, long of shank and with 

 bill utterly unsuited for such a purpose, has ever 



