190 EEMINISCENOES OF THE LEWS. 



from whence they come. Gammon and spinacli! 

 Woodcocks appear in all parts of Europe, parts 

 of Asia, parts of Africa and America, very 

 nearly about the same time. Given Norway 

 and Sweden as the universal starting-point, 

 does it take them exactly the same time to go 

 from Norway to Norfolk that it does to all 

 other parts of Europe, to Asia, Africa, and 

 America? This can't be, and therefore they 

 must breed in a great many other places where 

 there is no egg trade. Now I have an idea, 

 though I don't know that there is anything in 

 it. We know that at particular stages of the 

 growth of trees and plantations the coverts are 

 particularly frequented by woodcocks. Does 

 this particular growth affect the food of the 

 bird, or the soil that produces the food ? But 

 how can this affect a country like the Long 

 Island, where there is no wood, nothing but 

 the bare hill side ? True, my good sir, but is 

 it not possible (I know nothing about it) that 

 some temporary alteration may take place in 

 the soil of the hill side which may affect the 

 food produced by that soil, and therefore the 

 last year's experience of his feeding-grounds 

 may have warned Mr. Cock not to go there 

 next year ? 



All this is, perhaps, mere useless coinage of 



