THE WOODCOCK. 441 



they will remain motionless until a dog is almost on them 

 or until the beater reaches the very bush under which 

 they are crouching. When at length roused, they start up 

 with a whirr, winding and twisting through the overhang- 

 ing boughs, and make for the nearest open place ahead ; 

 now, however, flying in almost a straight line, till dis- 

 covering another convenient lurking-place, they descend 

 suddenly, to be "marked" for another shot. About 

 twilight, the Woodcock awakens out of its lethargy, and 

 repairs to its feeding-ground. Observation having shown 

 that on these occasions it does not trouble itself to mount 

 above the trees before it starts, but makes for the nearest 

 clear place in the wood through which it gains the open 

 country, fowlers were formerly in the habit of erecting 

 in glades in the woods, two high poles, from which was 

 suspended a fine net. This was so placed as to 

 hang across the course which the birds were likely to 

 take, and when a cock flew against it, the net was sud- 

 denly made to drop by the concealed fowler, and the bird 

 caught, entangled in the meshes. Not many years ago, 

 these nets were commonly employed in the woods near 

 the coast of the north of Devon, and they are said still 

 to be in use on the Continent. The passages through 

 which the birds flew, were known by the name of " cock- 

 roads," and " cockshoots." 



The localities which Woodcocks most frequent are places 

 which abound in earthworms, their favourite food. These 

 they obtain either by turning over lumps of decaying 

 vegetable matter and picking up the scattered worms, or 

 by thrusting their bills into the soft earth, where (guided 

 by scent it is supposed) they speedily find any worm 

 lying hid, and having drawn it out, swallow it whole, with 

 much dexterity. When the earth is frozen hard, they 

 shift their ground, repairing to the neighbourhood of the 

 sea, or of springs ; and now, probably, they are less select 

 in their diet, feeding on any living animal matter that may 



