294 BIRDS OF NORFOLK:. 



this feature gradually disappears ; and I have frequently 

 seen specimens with the outer primary toothed for half 

 its length, and the other part plain." Mr. Gould also 

 gives a table showing the difference in the length of wing 

 (measured from the carpal joint to the end of the first 

 primary), as well as in the weight of twelve male and 

 twelve female woodcocks, selected indiscriminately from 

 the large and small races, and from which it appears that 

 the wings of the twelve males " amount to eighty-nine 

 inches, and their weight to one hundred and forty-two 

 and three-quarter ounces; while the wings of the females 

 are eighty-seven and a quarter inches, and then* weight 

 one hundred and thirty-five ounces; consequently the 

 excess of the length of the wing in the twelve males is 

 one and three-quarter inches, and of their weight seven 

 and three-quarter ounces." He also believes " the males 

 have generally the shorter bill, the longer wing, and 

 the finer tail, while the rump of this sex is more red 

 and the barrings of the under surface of the body more 

 distinct. Much difference also occurs in the colouring 

 of the legs of the woodcocks, some being olive or leaden 

 white, while others are pale yellow." After weighing 

 a very large number of specimens of both the large 

 and small races, he arrives at the conclusion that " the 

 weight of seventy out of eighty birds in fair condition 

 will range between eleven and fourteen ounces ;* of the 

 other ten some will be lighter and others heavier. 

 Light birds vary from nine to nine and a half and ten 

 ounces." It is a very large bird that weighs fifteen 

 ounces, and an extraordinary one that reaches sixteen 



* Three remarkably fine woodcocks in the collection of Mr. 

 Owles, of Yarmouth, netted a few years since in the month of 

 January, at Mettingham, near Bungay, weighed together thirty- 

 nine ounces and two drams, the largest being just fourteen ounces. 

 These were taken at night in a stubble field with a common lark 

 net. 



