186 THK WOODCOCK. 



which name bears a close affinity to the German Wald- 

 Sclinepfe, as the Woodcock is called in Germany. 



The Woodcock has a wide geographical range. Besides 

 Scandinavia, this bird passes the snmmer months in Fin- 

 land, Russia, and Siberia, as also in northern and north- 

 eastern Asia ; and winters in Asia Minor, the northern 

 parts of Africa, as also in the more western and southern 

 of Europe, especially in countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean. 



Excepting during spring and fall, when Woodcocks are 

 occasionally met with in considerable numbers near the 

 southern and western coasts of Sweden and Norway, they 

 may truly be said to be scarce in Scandinavia ; for during 

 the summer months a man may wander — in the interior at 

 any rate — for days together in the forest without seeing 

 more than a sti'ay bird. Such at least has often happened 

 to myself. 



That Woodcocks should be thus scarce in the great 

 Scandinavian forests, from whence, as it is believed, we in 

 England are chiefly supplied, and so plentiful with us — in 

 Ireland rather — in the winter time, is perhaps easy of 

 explanation ; for in their breeding-grounds, extending, as 

 shown, over the greater part of Northern Europe, there is 

 probably a thousand times more wood than in the whole 

 of the United Kingdom together; and when, therefore, 

 the birds, or a large portion of them, come to be concentrated, 

 so to say, in our small covers, they consequently make a 

 very great show. 



The idea used to be entertained in England, and may 

 be so at this time for all I know to the contrary, that the 

 present scarcity of Woodcocks with us, as compared with 

 former times, is attributable to the Scandinavians sub- 

 sisting largely on their eggs. Now, to say nothing of these 

 being unknown as an edible in the Peninsula — and where, 

 iiuleed, even naturalists have difficulty enough in procuring 



