WOODCOCK. 173 



long heath ; at times, in these localities, they are 

 extremely shy, while at others, as if fatigued with 

 their flight, they can scarcely be raised, and fre- 

 quently, when fallen in with in such a state, are 

 killed in numbers. They soon, however, leave these 

 districts, and do it simultaneously, scarcely a bird 

 being to be found in the morning where the day pre- 

 vious they had been abundant. Their most favourite 

 haunts, when settled, as it were, for the winter, are 

 woods of some extent, where there is cover that can 

 be run through beneath, and where shelter is afforded 

 by spreading low-branched spruce trees, hollies, or 

 other large evergreens. There they rest by day, only 

 at times feeding, or turning over the dried leaves, 

 and at twilight regain activity, resorting to the open 

 glades, or marshy bottoms, or sheltered outskirts, 

 and then, for a time, feed in earnest. Their food 

 seems to be aquatic insects or Iarva3, which they 

 procure by thrusting their bills into the soft mud, or 

 u boring," as in sporting language it is termed ; in 

 this process a quantity of sand is also taken, for the 

 stomach is almost always filled with it, in addition 

 to any remains of insects that can be seen. In the 

 woods, they also seem to turn over the dead leaves in 

 search of what may be beneath ; and, in hard frost, 

 this bird, from these peculiarities, is one that suffers 

 most severely. The number of Woodcocks which 

 visit us vary much from year to year, and without 

 apparent cause. Whatever that may be, it should 

 be sought for in their summer land, not in that 

 which receives them in winter. Ireland seems to 



