THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 195 



We shall resist and persist ; at least I shall I, Frank 

 Forester, who never in my life have killed a bird out of 

 season intentionally, and who never will who am com- 

 pelled by sham sportsmen, cockney and pot-gunners to 

 shoot woodcock in Jnly ; who have been invited, times 

 out and over again, to shoot cock on men's own ground, 

 and therefore within the letter of the law, in New Jersey, 

 Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, before the 

 season ; who have ever refused to take the advantages, 

 which every one takes over me ; and who still intend to 

 persist, though not to hope, that there may be sense 

 enough, if not integrity, among the legislatures of the 

 free states, to prevent the destruction of all game within 

 their several jurisdictions. 



As the thing stands and by the thing I mean the law 

 woodcock are to be shot on or about the first day of 

 July ; and if, dear reader, you try to shoot any where 

 -within fifty miles of New York, or twenty-five of Phila- 

 delphia, much later than the tenth of June, I am inclined 

 to think that you will find wonderfully little sport ; 

 before the season, do not fire a shot, if you will take my 

 advice ; if poachers will violate the law, and the law will 

 not enforce itself against poachers, abstain from becom- 

 ing a poacher yourself, and do not shoot before the 

 season fairly commences. 



At this period of the year woodcock are almost inva- 

 riably found in the lowlands ; sometimes, as,. for instance, 

 at Salem, in New Jersey, and many other similar locali- 



