WOODCOCK-SHOOTING. 



IN every part of the North American States and Provinces 

 where the American woodcock, lately classed as scolopax 

 minor, but more recently erected by naturalists into a 

 distinct family as microptera Americana, breeds and 

 rears its young, law, and custom where there are no specific 

 laws on the subject, have authorized the killing it on the 

 first or fourth of July. 



There is probably not a single sportsman in the coun- 

 try, who does not deprecate the practice, and desire to see 

 it abolished ; but, in the first place, it appears to be impossi- 

 ble to get legislative assemblies to look upon game laws 

 in any other light than that of class legislation, statutes 

 intended to guard the amusements of the few against the 

 rights of the many, than which no idea can be more erro- 



