THE WOODCOCK. 59 



great assistance, while it seems to make no difference in 

 the lying of the birds. Although there are many dogs 

 over which good shooting may be had, yet a first-class 

 woodcock dog is rare, and invaluable to his owner. 

 Many dogs do not particularly care for the sport, but 

 prefer to hunt the grouse and the quail. I once had an 

 English setter, of a strain noted for its field-work in both 

 cover and open shooting, that although a bold and capi- 

 tal worker on ruffed grouse, seemed to fear the wood- 

 cook's scent, and would stop hunting, drop his tail, and 

 come to heel the instant the odor reached his nostrils. 



But whether you use setter, pointer, or spaniel, there is 

 a peculiar charm about woodcock and woodcock-shooting 

 that no one can deny who is at all acquainted with the 

 birds, or has ever tried the sport. You have seen the 

 gamy quail tumble into the sedge before your aim, and 

 gathered him to your game-bag, with the knowledge of 

 a deed well done; you have felt a glow of pride as the 

 lordly grouse, rushing on pinions swift and strong, fell 

 before your prowess, and struggled in his death-battle 

 upon the autumn leaves; but there comes a feeling that 

 can not be explained when you take the woodcock from 

 your setter's mouth, and watch the dark eyes close, 

 and that soft, velvety sheen over head and neck fade 

 away until there is only left the dull gloss of a mottled 

 plumage, and the bird-life has passed beyond recall. 



How the memories of days passed amid the wood- 

 cock's haunts crowd in upon our reveries when the land is 

 snow-bound and the streams are ice-locked! and how we 

 long for the time to come when these dark-eyed birds 

 shall once more breed among the alder-dells, and sing 

 their love-songs in the gloaming of warm spring evenings! 



