206 THE LARK-PIPE. 



posed ; for in its endeavours to avoid the shot, I have 

 sometimes seen it ascend obliquely upwards. If the sports- 

 man be provided with a percussion gun, this manoeuvre 

 will not avail it at all times. But the AVoodcock has 

 other wiles. If, for instance, it has been previously 

 persecuted, it always keeps a good look-out, and takes 

 another course ; and should the man have stationed him- 

 self in an open spot, and neglected to conceal his person, 

 it will frequently wheel about suddenly and return by the 

 way it came. A large proportion of the innumerable 

 misses at the ' Drag ' originate from the Jiigai'e not 

 having acquired the knack — a rather difficult one — of 

 taking a rapid aim in the dusk of the evening. 



" To avoid firing at too long a range," says Ekstrom, 

 in conclusion, " I was accustomed in my youth, and before 

 praciice rendered the expedient needless, to repair to the 

 ' Drag ' whilst it was full daylight, and pace the distance 

 to some of the trees in the vicinitv ; and when the birds 

 made their appearance, was thus pretty well enabled to 

 judge whether or not it was worth while to fire." 



Tiie fowler, when at the " Drag," I should observe, 

 is often provided with a so-called Ldrk-'pi'pa, or Lark -pipe ; 

 and when the Woodcock is flying over his head, he, by 

 imitating its call-note with this implement, so attracts its 

 attention as often to cause it to stay its course for a second 

 or two, and to hover, as it were, over his head, in which 

 position the greatest bungler can hardly fail to hit it. 

 The Lark-pipe is also often brought into requisition 

 by the fowler in the autumn, when the 1)rood has been 

 flushed and dispersed. 



The Krypsk]jtt, or jjoacher, has another expedient, we 

 are told, to beguile the poor Woodcock. He hides him- 

 self at the '• Drag," and when the bird is immediately in 

 front of him, he casts his cap high in air ; on which the 

 Woodcock, supposing the cap to be its mortal enemy tlie 



