as they can remember. Years ago, when the 

 birds were plenty and little known, five or 

 s i x m ight be found here on a half-acre at any 



time during the flight If these were killed 



off, others took their places, and the supply 

 seemed to be almost a constant quantity as 

 long as there were birds enough in the sur- 

 rounding coverts to draw upon; but why 

 they haunt this spot more than others, and 

 why the vacant places are so quickly filled, 

 are two questions that no man can answer. 



One hunter suggests to me, doubtfully, 

 that possibly this may be accounted for by 

 the migrating birds that are moving south- 

 ward during the flight, and that drop into 

 the best unoccupied places; and the same 

 explanation will occur to others. The ob- 

 jection to this is that the birds migrate by 

 night, and by night this spot is always un- 

 occupied. The woodcock use it for a rest- 

 ing-place only by day, and by night they 

 scatter widely to the feeding-grounds, whither 

 also the migrating birds first make their way; 

 for Whitooweek must feed often, his food 

 being easily digested, and can probably make 



