BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



The large, beautiful eyes of the Woodcock 

 are dimmed by the light, and it gets its food 

 mainly at night in the swamps and low 

 meadows, but in very wet seasons it would 

 sometimes hunt on higher land, while in dry 

 seasons it would resort to the creeks and the 

 banks of the rivers. 



The poor Woodcock has been persistently 

 pursued in spring and summer, in nesting sea- 

 son and out of nesting season, and in the 

 winter when it migrates to the south. It has 

 been hunted in daylight when the light has 

 dimmed its eyes, and at night when it has been 

 dazzled and confused by lanterns and torches. 

 The wings in flying make a whistling sound, 

 and when in open meadows it thus draws atten- 

 tion to itself and is easily shot. 



In writing of the Woodcock, Baird, one of 

 the best authorities, says : "In past days it re- 

 sorted in the winter in very large numbers to 

 the low land that borders the Mississippi. It 

 was safe there from ordinary hunting, but 'fire 

 hunting' was resorted to in the following man- 

 ner. The sportsman, armed with a double- 

 barreled gun and wearing a broad-brimmed 

 hat, proceeds, on a foggy night, to these 

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