42 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



I am convinced that the Woodcock often, if not 

 generally, rears two broods of young in a year, as 

 those of the first hatch are strong on the wing by 

 the beginning of June, and I have, on the other hand, 

 frequently seen young Woodcocks in Scotland who 

 could only make a poor flight of it between August 

 20 and the end of that month. In Northamptonshire, 

 at least in that part of the county with which I am 

 best acquainted, the Woodcock pretty regularly 

 appears between the 12th and 25th of October. In 

 1887 Mr. G. Hunt flushed one in his garden at 

 Wadenhoe on Oct. 10th ; this is the earliest autumnal 

 arrival in the neighbourhood of Lilford of which I 

 have any record ; for although I heard of Woodcocks 

 having been seen in the last week of September 1886, 

 I have no doubt that the birds then observed were 

 lingerers that had bred, or been bred, in our county. 

 I may add that the above is the only report of Wood- 

 cocks in Norths in September that has come to my 

 knowledge. 



The Woodcock is a nocturnal bird, and in stormy 

 or thick weather, at the time of his first arrival, will, 

 as the common saying goes, " drop in anywhere," 

 and with us may be found in turnips, or still more 

 commonly in the old fences that border our roads 

 and lanes. I feel certain that the autumnal migratory 

 instinct and the intention of the Woodcock is ever 

 " westward ho ! " that he feeds greedily during the 

 first two or three hours after sunset, and then seeks 

 some sheltered and quiet spot for rest and digestion ; 

 the latter operation completed, if the night is clear 

 and the wind moderate, our bird resumes his travels, 

 and as soon as daylight appears drops into the first 

 attractive-looking spot. If, on the contrary, the night 



