WOODCOCK-SHOOTING. 89 



ble certainty ; but who can fully describe the wood- 

 cock in his flight, or predict with any confidence his 

 whereabouts? In many respects he is the very op- 

 posite of the other game-birds found in the fields and 

 woods ; he is truly a night-bird. 



In August, when cocks cannot be found in the 

 swamps of alders or among the maples, look for them 

 in the high and rolling grounds, particularly among 

 the scrub-oaks and whortleberry bushes. You will 

 sometimes find a few birds, but as they are at this time 

 going through the moulting process, they are very hard 

 to flush, and very difficult to kill. 



In shooting woodcock by a cross shot, in July, Au- 

 gust, and September, putting the gun forward on to 

 their bills will be sufficient to bring them to bag : use 

 at this season No. 9 or No. 10 shot. But in October, 

 when they are on their strong migratory flight, suppos- 

 ing them to be forty yards distant from the gun, sight 

 it some six inches forward of their long bills, which 

 are always prominent marks. In both cases keep the 

 gun moving even after it is discharged. At the latter 

 season, use No. 9 shot. In November it is well to use 

 No. 8, for the sportsman, while hunting for woodcock, 

 will often find quail and partridge ; and an old cock- 

 partridge, at this time, will need shot of this size in 

 order that the work may be sure. 



The Period of Moulting. 



Woodcock begin to moult or shed their feathers 

 about the middle of August ; and those who kill them 



