90 The Birds of Pembrokeshire. 
perhaps, even far out in the Atlantic to the west of Treland. 
They only approach the shores when driven in by rough 
weather. 
WOODCOCK, Svolopax rusticula—An autumn visitor, doubtless 
also a resident in limited numbers. Although we have no in- 
stance of a Woodcock’s nest having been found in the county, 
it must certainly breed occasionally, if not regularly, in some of 
the large covers. We had always formed to ourselves large 
expectations of the sport to be had in Pembrokeshire in Wood- 
cock shooting, and it was chiefly on this account that we were led 
to fix for a time our residence in the county. But we were 
greatly disappointed. The days of large bags seem to have 
passed away ; and, although old sportsmen had great things to 
tell of doings at some of the famous covers in by-gone years, in 
our own experience Pembrokeshire seemed to rank far behind 
Devonshire as a Woodcock county. Through the kindness of 
our old friend Colonel John Owen, of Rosebush, who for many 
years rented the Trecwn shooting, we had many days with him 
in those beautiful covers where rhododendrons and alders com- 
bine to make attractive lodgings for the Cocks, and on several 
occasions found them plentiful ; one day we must have had over 
a hundred flushes. In beating the Trecwn covers we generally 
began by trying the wooded hill-sides in order to drive the 
Cocks down into the large alder-beds in the valley, where we 
would finish in the afternoon. Here the Cocks would be some- 
times plentiful, and almost every step forward flushes would 
ensue. Watching the ground carefully between the alder stools 
we would occasionally detect a Cock, or a couple of Cocks, 
squatting upon the ground; others moved elsewhere would fly 
towards us, and settle at our feet. As the birds were flushed 
again they often disappointed us of a shot by darting off through 
the bushes, only a foot or two above the ground, when we dared 
not fire for fear of hitting a beater, or one of the other guns, for 
in such a cover it was next to impossible to keepin line. We 
were careful not to shoot unless the Cocks topped the alders, 
