208 SHOOTING WITH THE POINTER. 



"Woodcock, which is here very common. As with the Owl, 

 it is looked upon as of ill omen, and when people hoar its 

 call-note at the ' Drag,' they lose heart, believing it to be 

 a Troll-fogel, or bewitched bird, and this simply because, 

 on alighting on the ground, it runs rapidly and unper- 

 ceived from the spot. Its appearance, gestures, and 

 bearing, which are at times comical enough, have, more- 

 over, given rise in Nordmark to the strange notion that 

 it is afflicted with epilepsy, and has the power of commu- 

 nicating that disorder to the individual who touches or 

 molests it. This strange feeling has not only the effect of 

 deterring people from pursuing or injuring it, but causes 

 them to entertain for it both fear and aversion. Hence if 

 a boy finds a Woodcock in a snare or trap, he not alone 

 kicks it away from him with his foot, but spits three several 

 times after it, as also on the spot where it has lain, to 

 free himself from the fortrollning, or enchantment, to 

 which he might otherwise be subjected." *. 



Many Woodcocks are likewise shot in Scandinavia to 

 the pointer, t or other dog, during their aiitumnal and 

 spring migrations. These birds are then often met with 

 in considerable numbers in the more southern parts of 

 the country, especially in Scania, their usual point of 

 departure and arrival, as regards Sweden at least. H 



But the shooting in that province in the spring, at 

 which time it is the best, depends much on the state of 

 the weather ; for if on the arrival of the Woodcocks the 



In the eyes of the superstitious, the act of x/, I/tin;/ is considered M- MM 

 infullihlc means of kecpim; tin- Powers of Darkness lit a distance. Hud 

 -pace permitted, I could fill pages with similar M'.ii 



t The dog used for Cock-shoot ini:, it will lie readily undcr-t I, -liould 



In- perfectly steady, :md not hunt far ahead ; fur if he In- a \\ ide ranker he will 



flush liinU nut nf nuinlier. ami i ~ei|<ie]itly d" mure harm than sjixxl. If 



lie is trained t" i-<i/i/n->- /<;, that i>, to leave his point when lie has found 

 iMinc. for th0 parpOM of informing hi- master, he will !* dmililv \alu.ilile. 



