WOODCOCK. 171 



variation among the winter rover-shooting. Al- 

 though there are now many instances on record of 

 the Woodcock breeding in various parts of Great 

 Britain, yet it still must be considered as one of 

 our winter migrating birds, the great mass visiting 

 us in the commencement and towards the end of 

 October, and removing again in February. The 

 great attention that has been paid to British orni- 

 thology, for thirty years past, has made known 

 many instances of breeding; for we do not see 

 any changes in the country that could have, at a 

 later period, increased their frequency ; but, even 

 those which have been recorded, are few indeed, 

 compared with the number of birds that visit 

 us every winter. Some situations appear more 

 favourable, or are preferred by the birds to others, 

 and there, almost with tolerable certainty, one or 

 two pairs may be found, season after season ; but, 

 with that exception, there is no indiscriminate 

 breeding, as with the snipes, in suitable localities. 

 In Ross-shire, they have now been frequently dis- 

 covered breeding.* Near Dunkeld, they are stated 

 also to breed,t and this locality must be a favourite 

 one of long standing ; for, twenty years since, in 

 rambling through the woods in that vicinity, we 

 were told by the keepers, that Woodcock nests had 

 several times been found. In Fifeshire we have 

 heard of instances, and once received the egg in a 

 fresh state from that county. In Northumberland 

 * Sir F. Mackenzie. , f Loudon, Mag. of Nat. Hist. 



