62 WING -SHOOTING. 



as the weather becomes cooler in the month of October, 

 they may be-^ound on more open grounds containing 

 patches of brush, hazel, poplars, and white birch. 



When the nights are quite frosty, open grounds with 

 patches of saplings and scrub oaks, that admit sunshine 

 attract cock, and in these localities they may often be 

 found in large numbers. At this season of the year wood- 

 cock give good opportunities for splendid practice as they 

 present themselves in all sorts of flights. Now and then 

 one may go skewing and twisting up through the trees 

 in a way that will make you almost despair of getting on 

 to him, whilst another may flop up under your nose and 

 flip-flop in the air, and then dart away with surprising 

 swiftness ; then, one may make directly at you ; again, 

 one may go straight away on a dead level with your gun 

 when in position, and on its report, a shooter may arise at 

 your feet, and whisk away so close to the ground, that you 

 can hardly see it. Though the walking may be difficult, 

 the bushes thick, the briers sharp, the birds hard to hit, 

 yet it is splendid sport. 



WOODCOCK-SHOOTING. 



When shooting in the autumn, go over the same grounds 

 frequently, as the birds are moving nearly every night. 



