OUTDOORS 



travelled road that an ear of corn might 

 have been tossed into the place by any pass- 

 ing country-man. They lurk in little coverts 

 around lakes in the hills within gunshot of 

 " campers " and cottages, and only the pry- 

 ing nose of a good dog, or the persevering 

 efforts of a persistent hunter can rout them 

 out. It is possible to shoot woodcock with- 

 out a dog, but it is not pleasant. 



A good pointer or setter, of course, can 

 find the birds when they are in the country, 

 and in fairly open ground a man can follow 

 the dog and shoot over " points " after a 

 fashion. But there are places which a man 

 cannot very well "beat" thoroughly jun- 

 gles where a dog can barely worm a passage 

 and in these almost impenetrable tangles 

 of " pucker " brush, alders, and twisted un- 

 dergrowth the woodcock is quite frequently 

 found, stowed away in the shadiest of moist 

 corners very seldom on the edges, but often 

 right in the " dead jimp and middle " of the 

 maze. There a spaniel is needed to stir him 

 up and make him fly over, around, or through 

 the cover. It is true " snap shooting," with 

 no time to follow the bird or enter into elab- 



