232 On the Occurrence of &ome of the Rarer Species of Birds 



hundreds visited the harbour in full summer plumage, their red- 

 brown breasts being most conspicuous and attractive to an orni- 

 thologist's eye. They remained about there undisturbed for a week 

 or two, ere they passed on to resume their migratorial journey. 

 Four or five good specimens were picked up, and reached Hart's 

 hands, but the Birds Act prevented their being disturbed, as doubt- 

 less they otherwise would have been. 



Scolopax Rusticola. " Woodcock." That man is truly to be 

 pitied who has never had the thrill of excitement aroused within him 

 as he hstens to the stirring cry of " Mark Cock." Surely it is the 

 prince of game birds — both as to appearance and flavour — in the 

 wood, and on the table. They occur in some seasons far more 

 plentifully than others. But if you want real Cock shooting you 

 must travel to the east of Europe. To show the numbers there I 

 will just quote a passage from Mr. A. E. Knox's " Game Birds and 

 Wild Fowl," which shows what sport may at times be had by the 

 fortunate tourist. Colonel Parker with a party of friends, in the 

 Morea, killed the following number of Woodcock in six of their 

 best days' shooting : — 



Woodcocks. 

 Two days at Butrinto l 1«-^ 



Two days on the Fanara, or Acheron River I iq>4 



Two days on the Achelous River 



ri68 

 tl71 



Grand total of six days 1026 



I shall never forget the excitement I was in when, in 1856, I killed 

 my two first Cocks, which I have now in my collection. I was 

 takeii by an elderly relative to a small wood, on the borders of 

 Devon and Cornwall, which always had the reputation of holding a 

 Cock or two, if there were any in at all; and various and sundry 

 were the explanations and exhortations given me to enable me to 

 recognize Rusticola, if I should be fortunate enough to see him ; 

 advice which I thought highly superfluous, as I was not likely at 



