140 KEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAX. 



CHAP. XIII. 



AVOODCOCK SHOOTING IX IRELAXD, WALES, AKD THE ISLAND OF 

 TERCEIRA. — DESCRIPTION AND HABITS OF THE "WOODCOCK. — 

 BREED IN ENGLAND. 



" joy ! the redwings now appear, 

 The harbinger of sport ; 

 Sure sign the woodcocks will be here, 

 And to our woods resort. 

 Prepare your guns, ye sportsmen keen, 

 Straight powder good and dry. 

 For if a woodcock can be seen, 

 'Tis certain he must die." — J. P. 



I AM now entering on a sporting subject which may be 

 considered peculiarly interesting to the English sports- 

 man. I come to this conclusion from my own feelings 

 and the opinion of others, that with the exception of a 

 good run with foxhounds there is nothing more exhi- 

 larating than in cover-shooting to hear the beater cry 

 out, " jMark, cock ! " and an instant afterwards making a 

 successful shot at him. Independently of his being so 

 excellent a bird for the table, there is something of 

 wildness and excitement in woodcock shooting which is 

 certainly not experienced to that degree in the slaughter 

 of pheasants and hares and other game bred on your 

 estate. The woodcock during the summer inhabits the 

 alps of Norway, Sweden, Polish Prussia, and the northern 

 parts of Europe. They retire from these countries at 

 the beginning of winter, as soon as the frost commences, 



