22 



SAND GROUSE AND OTHER BIRDS. 



(Reprinted from "The Field" Newspaper, October 3rd, 1863. 



SIK, I have looked each week (more particularly since Partridge 

 shooting commenced) in the expectation of seeing some notice of 

 the occurrence of a young Sand Grouse having been obtained, 

 which would have almost settled the question whether these 

 birds had really visited us for the purpose of coming permanently 

 amongst us, or might lead us to expect that they would return 

 again another season ; and I must add that I should have been 

 pleased to see such a notice and to find that I was wrong in con- 

 sidering that the flight which did come had been lost, and had 

 arrived here by mere chance ; but, without having seen such no- 

 tice, I cannot help thinking that, had they come to breed, their 

 having been shot at would not have caused them to abandon 

 their intention. Probably the whole of those which visited 

 Europe would not be a greater number than might have been 

 trapped in their native country in a single day. Should any of 

 your readers have authentic information of any of them having 

 paired, I hope he will be so good as to send it for insertion in 

 T/te Field, where the notice will no doubt be duly appreciated. 

 Of course, it can be of little importance to any one to keep back 

 the truth, and what is interesting is the truth, and it only. 



At the meeting of the British Association, recently held here, 

 I understood a gentleman to give as the reason of the Woodcock 

 becoming scarce in England that the eggs, being considered a 

 delicacy by the Norwegians, were gathered there. Can any of 

 your readers give us any information on this matter ? In the 

 first place, what proof have we that the Woodcocks which come 

 to us do come from Norway ? In the next, the shell of the egg 

 is so very thin, it seems improbable that the inhabitants could 

 pack them and send them to any distance to the towns ; and they 

 themselves probably cat all sorts of eggs they are fortunate 

 enough to meet with ; and the country over which Woodcocks 

 breed is probably so thinly populated, and of such enormous 



