A04A BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
in * Twelfth Night,’ “ Now is the Woodcock near the 
gin;’’ and Laertes and Polonius, in ‘ Hamlet,’ “ As 
a Woodcock to my own springe;” ‘“ Ay, springes to 
catch Woodcocks.” Besides these snares or springes 
Woodcocks were often caught in nets set across 
open paths in the woods through which the Wood- 
cocks take their flight when going out “roading,” as 
it is called, that is, when on their evening excursion 
for food. I believe this method is still practised in 
Guernsey. 
The Woodcock is so well known, and so easily 
seen and obtained at every poulterer’s shop during 
the game season, that it is useless to waste time in 
describing it. I may, however, remark that it varies 
much in size, the difference between the males and 
females being very considerable, the males being the 
smallest, so much so that Yarrell says a young male 
of the year shot in October will sometimes weigh 
only seven ounces, whilst an old female will fre- 
quently weigh as much as fourteen or fifteen ounces: 
this difference in size and weight will quite account 
for the small Woodcocks occasionally shot, and often 
considered by sportsmen as a distinct species. 
Varieties of the Woodcock not unfrequently occur : 
the most usual varieties appear to be a sort of pale 
buff or cream-colour, and sometimes a mixture of 
white feathers amongst the ordinary plumage. I 
saw one of the former at Mrs. Turle’s shop in 
Taunton, on January 7th, 1864; all the lighter 
