40 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



Arctic circle; in West Russia up to about lat. 65°; 

 but in East Russia and Siberia not much further 

 north than lat. 60° " : he adds that in Asia the 

 breeding-range of the Woodcock extends to the 

 Caucasus, the Himalayas, Mongolia, and the moun- 

 tains of Japan. 



The migrations of this species, although no doubt 

 guided to a very great extent by fixed rules, subject 

 of course to the varying influences of temperature, 

 wind, and locality, are very difficult to comprehend. 

 My own theory is that the great majority of the 

 Woodcocks that leave their breeding-quarters in 

 Scandinavia and Russia on the approach of winter 

 push towards the south-west, remaining in districts 

 in which they can procure food till the ground is too 

 hard for them, when they continue their journey, 

 taking with them those that have nested in these 

 halting-places ; this broad line of migration, extend- 

 ing from the Arctic circle to the chain of the Balkans 

 and the Alps, in my opinion, supplies the British 

 Islands and France with the bulk of our autumn and 

 winter Woodcocks. Of course it is more than 

 possible that many N. -Asiatic bred Woodcocks also 

 visit us, but I believe that the majority of the 

 enormous numbers of these birds that visit Turkey 

 in Europe, Greece, and in smaller numbers Central 

 and Southern Italy, the north coast of Africa, the 

 islands of the western Mediterranean, and Spain and 

 Portugal, in autumn, have spent the previous summer 

 in the forests of the Caucasus, Northern Persia, and 

 possibly Asia Minor. 



As regards our own Islands it is a curious fact, 

 confirmed by many authors, sportsmen, and game- 

 keepers, as well as by my own experience in the 



