294, BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 
this feature gradually disappears; and I have frequently 
seen specimens with the outer primary toothed for half 
its length, and the other part plain.” Mr. Gould also 
gives a table showing the difference in the length of wing 
(measured from the carpal joint to the end of the first 
primary), as well as in the weight of twelve male and 
twelve female woodcocks, selected indiscriminately from 
the large and small races, and from which it appears that 
the wings of the twelve males “amount to eighty-nine 
inches, and their weight to one hundred and forty-two 
and three-quarter ounces; while the wings of the females 
are eighty-seven and a quarter inches, and their weight 
one hundred and thirty-five ounces; consequently the 
excess of the length of the wing in the twelve males is 
one and three-quarter inches, and of their weight seven 
and three-quarter ounces.” He also believes “ the males 
have generally the shorter bill, the longer wing, and 
the finer tail, while the rump of this sex is more red 
and the barrings of the under surface of the body more 
distinct. Much difference also occurs in the colouring 
of the legs of the woodcocks, some being olive or leaden 
white, while others are pale yellow.” After weighing 
a very large number of specimens of both the large 
and small races, he arrives at the conclusion that “the 
weight of seventy out of eighty birds in fair condition 
will range between eleven and fourteen ounces ;* of the 
other ten some will be lighter and others heavier. 
Light birds vary from nine to nine and a half and ten 
ounces.” It is a very large bird that weighs fifteen 
ounces, and an extraordinary one that reaches sixteen 
* Three remarkably fine woodcocks in the collection of Mr. 
Owles, of Yarmouth, netted a few years since in the month of 
January, at Mettingham, near Bungay, weighed together thirty- 
nine ounces and two drams, the largest being just fourteen ounces. 
These were taken at night in a stubble field with a common lark 
net. 
