208 SHOOTINa WITH THE POINTEll. 



Woodcock, which is here very common. As with the Owl, 

 it is looked upon as of ill omen, and Avlien people hear its 

 call-note at the ' Drag,' they lose heart, believing it to be 

 a Troll-fogel, or bewitched bird, and this simply because, 

 on alighting on the ground, it runs rapidly and vinper- 

 ceived from the spot. Its appearance, gestures, and 

 bearing, which are at times comical enough, liaA^e, more- 

 over, given rise in Nordmark to the strange 'notion that 

 it is afflicted with epilepsy, and has the power of commu- 

 nicatinf? that disorder to the individual who touches or 

 molests it. This strange feeling has not only the effect of 

 deterring people from pursuing or injuring it, but causes 

 them to entertain for it both fear and aversion. Hence if 

 a boy finds a Woodcock in a snare or trap, he not alone 

 kicks it away from him with his foot, biit spits three several 

 times after it, as also on the spot where it has lain, to 

 free himself from the fortrollning, or enchantment, to 

 which he might otherwise be subjected." * 



Many Woodcocks are likewise shot in Scandinavia to 

 the pointer,t or other dog, during their autumnal and 

 spring migrations. These birds are then often met with 

 in considerable numbers in the more southern parts of 

 the country, especially in Scania, their usual point of 

 departure and arrival, as regards Sweden at least. 



But the shooting in that province in the spring, at 

 which time it is the best, depends much on the state of 

 the weather ; for if on the arrival of the Woodcocks the 



■"' In the eyes of the superstitious, tlie act of spitlhuj is considered as an 

 infallible means of keeping the Powers of Darkness at a distance. Had 

 space jjennitted, I could fill pages with similar stories. 



t The dog used for Cock-shooting, it will be readily understood, should 

 be perfectly steady, and not hunt far ahead ; for if he be a wide ranger he will 

 flush birds out of number, and consequently do more harm than good. If 

 he is trained to rapportera, that is, to leave his point when he has found 

 game, for the purpose of informing his master, he will be doubly valuable. 



