MY FIRST WOODCOCK 273 



gun-barrel at it, never for an instant being con- 

 ceited enough to suppose that I had hit it. Great 

 was my delight when the beaters came up and 

 discovered the bird lying dead, and I received 

 shillings all round for the first cock of the day. 

 And such a woodcock as it was, too ! Its weight 

 was a record. 



But, there, I will close the account of my per- 

 formances, for though numberless opportunities 

 presented themselves to me, I did not succeed in 

 shooting another, so I have every reason to re- 

 member this, my first cock. Those Christmas 

 holidays were happy days, days which never 

 can return, for my kind host and my old school- 

 friend, his son, are, I grieve to say, no more, the 

 latter cut off when life seemed to offer all that was 

 best and brightest. 



It has, I believe, come to be recognized that 

 there are two varieties of woodcock which visit 

 this country, the one considerably larger and 

 lighter in colour than the other. Some few 

 birds remain with us to breed, and it is stated 

 that these British-bred birds are larger and 

 lighter in colour than those which come to us 

 from abroad. 



The exact period of migration of woodcocks 

 varies, depending to a great extent upon the 

 phases of the moon, but as a rule they begin 

 to arrive in Britain about the third week in 

 October. If they have encountered heavy gales 

 during their passage, they drop into the nearest 



18 



