Marking of Woodcock in 

 Northumberland. 



Hulne Abbey, Alnwick. 



June 8, 1910. 



Sir, In reply to your letter re marking of birds, I beg 

 to say that the woodcock is the only bird that we mark, 

 which we have done since 1891. I have records of our 

 birds having been shot in England several counties 

 Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Also one in France. I 

 am sending you on Shooting Times of May 21, in which 

 you will find an article on our marking, as follows. If you 

 wish I can forward on my book, in which I keep a record 

 of all marked birds, and where shot. 



Yours obediently, 



W. MEECH. 

 W. Halliday, Esq. 



A RECENT note in the Shooting Times makes 

 reference to the nesting of woodcock in many 

 parts of Great Britain, and a query which happens 

 to bear on exactly the same subject is sent by a corre- 

 spondent, whose letter was published in the same issue. 

 This letter has already been answered, the inquirer being 

 informed that the woodcock shot by his friend undoubtedly 

 was one of those marked by the keepers on the Duke of 

 Northumberland's estate at Alnwick. Probably there are 

 a good many readers of this paper who would like to hear 

 more as to these experiments with the woodcock bred at 

 Alnwick, the marking of which is carried out in order to 



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