WOODCOCK. 587 



three couple wliicli he wounded, but did not give himself 

 the trouble to retrieve. On the folloAving day, the 12th, 

 the wind continuing west, he found but few. This person 

 further observes, that easterly and northerly winds only have 

 usually been remarked as propitious in bringing Woodcocks 

 to the Scilly Islands. So that he is totally at a loss to ac- 

 count for this western flight, unless they came from Ireland. 

 As they took their departure in the night between the 11th 

 and 12th, the wind still continuing west, he supposes they 

 were gone to make a visit to the counties of Cornwall and 

 Devonshire. From circumstances in the letter, it appears 

 that the ground within the lines of the garrison abounds Avith 

 furze. Some Woodcocks settled in the street of St. Mary"'s, 

 and ran into the houses and out-houses." A Woodcock 

 when flushed on the coast has been known to settle on the 

 sea, and when again disturbed, rose without difficulty and 

 flew away. Three or four instances are recorded of Wood- 

 cocks alighting on the deck of ships in the English Channel, 

 and that they go much farther south on their migration over 

 the European Continent to the east of us, will be proved by 

 the quantities found throughout the winter in various lo- 

 calities to be hereafter quoted. 



The Woodcock is a nocturnal bird, seeking its repose by 

 day, remaining quietly hid in the dry grassy bottoms of 

 brakes and woods, seldom or ever moving unless disturbed. 

 Sir Humphrey Davy in his Salmonia, says, " a laurel, or a 

 holly bush, is a favourite place for their repose : the thick 

 and varnished leaves of these trees prevent the radiation of 

 heat from the soil, and they are less affected by the refrige- 

 rating influence of a clear sky, so that they afford a warm 

 seat for the Woodcock." 



Towards night it sallies forth on silent wing, pursuing a 

 well-known track through the cover to its feeding-ground. 

 These tracks or open glades in woods, are sometimes called 



