THE WOODCOCK. 221 



Mr. A. G. More, in his valuable remarks in 

 The Ibis, " On the Distribution of Birds in Great 

 Britain during the Nesting Season," observes that 

 the nest of the Woodcock is by no means so rare 

 as is generally supposed. The bird is reported 

 as breeding occasionally in nearly every county 

 throughout England and the south of Scotland. 

 Farther north it becomes more numerous, and may 

 be considered to breed regularly from Perthshire 

 northwards to Caithness. 1 There is no doubt that 

 many more birds remain to breed now than formerly ; 

 and this increase appears to be owing to the great 

 extent of country which has been covered with 

 plantations during the past few years, particularly, 

 according to St. John, with fir plantations. 2 



What reason, asks Selby, is to be assigned for 

 this change in their habits ? Is it to be attributed 

 to a change in our seasons, or are we to look for it 

 in the great increase of woods or plantations, so 

 general over all the island, affording these birds 



1 Mr. More might also have added Ireland, since several instances 

 of the Woodcock breeding there are mentioned by Thompson (vol. ii. 

 p. 247), and many others have since been recorded. 



2 Wild Sports and Natural History of the Highlands, p. 264 

 (ed. 1878). 



