THE WOODCOCK 855 
the case. So conscious do they seem that their great security lies in 
concealment, that they will remain motionless until a dog is almost 
on them or until the beater reaches the very bush under which they 
are crouching. When at length roused, they start up with a whirr, 
winding and twisting through the overhanging boughs, and make 
for the nearest open place ahead; now, however, flying in almost a 
straight line, till discovering another convenient lurking-place, 
they descend suddenly, to be ‘marked’ for another shot. About 
twilight, the Woodcock awakens out of its lethargy, and repairs 
to its feeding-ground. Observation having shown that on these 
occasions it does not trouble itself to mount above the trees before 
it starts, but makes for the nearest clear place in the wood through 
which it gains the open country, fowlers were formerly in the habit 
of erecting in glades in the woods, two high poles, from which was 
suspended a fine net. This was so placed as to hang across the 
course which the birds were likely to take, and when a cock flew 
against it, the net was suddenly made to drop by the concealed 
fowler, and the bird caught, entangled in the meshes. Not many 
years ago, these nets were commonly employed in the woods, near 
the coast of the north of Devon, and they are said still to be in use 
on the Continent. The passages through which the birds flew 
were known by the name of ‘cockroads’, and ‘ cockshoots’. 
The localities which Woodcocks most frequent are places which 
abound in earthworms, their favourite food. These they obtain 
either by turning over lumps of decaying vegetable matter and 
picking up the scattered worms, or by thrusting their bills into the 
soft earth, where (guided by scent it is supposed) they speedily find 
any worm lying hid, and having drawn it out, swallow it whole, 
with much dexterity. When the earth is frozen hard, they shift 
their ground, repairing to the neighbourhood of the sea, or of springs ; 
and now, probably, they are less select in their diet, feeding on any 
living animal matter that may fall in their way. In March they 
change their quarters again, preparatory to quitting the country ; 
hence it often happens that considerable numbers are seen at this 
season in places where none had been observed during the previous 
winter. They now have a call-note, though before they have been 
quite mute; it is said by some to resemble the syllables pztt-pitt- 
coor, by others to be very like the croak of afrog. The French have 
invented the verb crotiler, to express it, and distinguish Woodcock 
shooting by the name crotile. Some sportsmen wisely recommend 
that no Woodcock should be shot after the middle of February ; for it 
has been ascertained that increasing numbers of these remain for 
the purpose of breeding in thiscountry; and it is conjectured, with 
reason, that if they were left undisturbed in their spring haunts, 
they would remain in yet larger numbers. As it is, there are few 
counties in England in which their nest has not been discovered; 
and there are some few localities in which it is one of the pleasant 
