WOODCOCK, SNIPE, AND PLOVER. 257 



CHAPTER IX. 



WOODCOCK, SNIPE, AND PLOVER. 



THE woodcock in times past was a bird little known 

 to the general public; to most he was a feathered 

 myth, heard about but not seen. As a boy I have 

 often listened with admiration and wonder, not 

 unmixed with awe, to accounts given by some 

 sportsmen relatives in our marsh-lands, of their 

 having had the good fortune to shoot a cock or 

 even a pair of these birds. That was spoken of 

 as by a rare chance, and the "how, when, and 

 where " were given with much exactness and detail. 

 They never kept them for their own table, but 

 invariably presented them to gentlemen who were 

 known to enjoy such game. Curious and strong 

 prejudices existed amongst our folk in regard to 



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