WOODCOCK. 5 



thirty acres' extent, I have seen fifty couple of Woodcocks 

 flushed ; and as several excellent covers lay in the immedi- 

 ate vicinity, it was no uncommon thing for two or three 

 guns to bring home twenty, nay, thirty couple. I have 

 known a party fire a number of shots that would appear 

 incredible ; and I have more than once expended my last 

 charge of powder, and left, for want of ammunition, one 

 or two copses untried." It is recorded in Daniel's Rural 

 Sports, that Mr. Yea of Swansea, killed one hundred 

 couple of Woodcocks in the season of 1796. Gilbert 

 White of Selborne, says, in his Journal, " A gentleman 

 writes word from St. Mary's, Scilly, that in the night be- 

 tween the 10th and llth of October, the wind being west, 

 there fell such a flight of Woodcocks within the walls of 

 the garrison, that he himself shot, and conveyed home, 

 twenty-six couple, besides three couple which he wounded, 

 but did not give himself the trouble to retrieve. On the 

 following day, the 12th, the wind continuing west, he 

 found but few. This person further observes, that 

 easterly and northerly winds only have usually been re- 

 marked as propitious in bringing Woodcocks to the Scilly 

 Islands. So that he is totally at a loss to account for 

 this western flight, unless they came from Ireland. As 

 they took their departure in the night between the llth 

 and 12th, the wind still continuing west, he supposes they 

 were gone to make a visit to the counties of Cornwall and 

 Devonshire. From circumstances in the letter, it appears 

 that the ground within the lines of the garrison abounds 

 with furze. Some Woodcocks settled in the street of St. 

 Mary's and ran into the houses and out-houses." A Wood- 

 cock when flushed on the coast has been known to settle 

 on the sea, and when again disturbed, rose without diffi- 

 culty and flew away. But this is not always the case. 

 Mr. Falconer, of Christchurch, has recorded in the Zoolo- 



