204 THE KORS-DKAG. 



Ekstrom is much more at home at this kind of " Jagt " 

 than I am, and as he, besides, gives us much curious 

 information in regard to the habits of the Woodcock, I 

 prefer quoting his words to telling my own story : — 



" Should the sportsman be unacquainted with the 

 'Drag,' " says the reverend gentleman, "he ought some 

 fine evening to take a walk in the forest and ascertain 

 its whereabouts ; but in this he must be guided by the 

 weather, for if stormy, the task would be hopeless. It 

 should be calm, and, in preference, raw and cold, with a 

 drizzling rain, as the Woodcock then r6des best. Most 

 commonly the ' Drag ' is situated amongst hills and 

 eminences, interspersed with morasses. The Wood- 

 cock seldom flies across the latter, but along their sides. 

 When, therefore, one meets with a morass of a somewhat 

 oval or oblong form, bounded by woods, one is pretty sure 

 to find what is called a ' Kors-Drag' or spot where 

 the birds that ' rode ' along the sides of the morass, and 

 those that ' rode ' across the ends of it, intersect each otlier. 

 The sportsman having found such a locality, stations 

 himself there, and, if possible, on rising ground, j^artly 

 to shorten the distance should the Woodcock fly high, 

 and partly that he may be enabled to keep a better look- 

 out. The trees, however, should not be too lofty, or the 

 under-cover too dense, as in that case his view would be 

 impeded, and he would be unable to see the bird until 

 immediately above his head ; and being thus obliged 

 to fire somewhat at random, he would be very apt to miss 

 it. When the trees on the spot selected by myself have 

 l)een too high and close, I have lessened the evil by causing 

 several to be cut down, so that an unobstructed view 

 might be obtained. But this plan has not always suc- 

 ceeded ; for though the stumps of the felled trees have 

 been covered Avith moss, &c., the birds have taken the 

 alarm and changed their ' Drag.' 



