WOODCOCK 247 



the couple of landrails that may be offered them by their 

 host at the end of a day's sport. 



October is usually upon us before the foreign-bred 

 Woodcock begin to arrive. Mid-October seems to be 

 about the time when the great flights of woodcock strike 

 our east coast ; but weather influences appear to affect 

 these birds on migration quite as much as other species 

 of winter fowl. Probably also the question of food supply 

 has much to do in fixing the date of their departure from 

 summer haunts. Naturally, the gunners on the coast 

 keep a sharp look-out for the passing of the woodcock, 

 and, as a consequence, many exciting scenes are wit- 

 nessed. Spurn Point and the higher ground on the 

 Yorkshire coast-line north of that promontory have been, 

 from time immemorial, favourite resting-places for the 

 woodcock on its arrival in this country. The place 

 is rich in woodcock lore, and many are the dodges 

 employed by the local gunner to excel his neighbour in 

 making a bag of woodcock. So soon as it is known 

 that " cock are over " the gunners in the villages along the 

 coast are all bustle and excitement, and whenever a big 

 flight happens to have alighted the fun is fast and furious. 

 Woodcock seek shelter in all sorts of places when resting 

 after their over-sea journey ; at such times they may be 

 turned out of hedgerows by the roadside, and occasion- 

 ally from cottage and other gardens in the villages, and 

 even from outhouses in the farmyards. If perchance 

 there should be left at the time of their arrival any late 

 beans yet unharvested, the stooks are almost certain to 

 hold a few woodcock, and several very good bags have 

 been made in the bean-fields along the coast. Energetic 

 sportsmen in that quarter have not uncommonly-secured 

 ten couples of woodcock in a day to their own guns, and 



