METHOD OF CATCHING WOODCOCKS. 345 



as diligently sought for, as Plovers' eggs with us. Thus, not 

 a twentieth part of the former abundant numbers may now 

 be reared, and of course, our annual Winter supply must pro- 

 portionably decrease. But other causes have operated, in this 

 country, still further to diminish the number of those which, 

 under former circumstances, might be inclined to come over 

 namely, the great decrease of our woodlands ; the improve- 

 ments in agriculture, by which their haunts have been 

 drained or broken up ; and, lastly, the increase of population, 

 which, more than we are aware of, deters shy and solitary 

 birds from remaining in neighbourhoods to which they for- 

 merly resorted. It was a favourite amusement, in former 

 days, to catch Woodcocks, by dozens, of a night, in places 

 where now not a dozen could be taken in a whole season. 

 Large openings were left, or rather made, in woods, which at 

 night were filled up with wide -spreading nets, fastened by 

 pulleys to tall branches ; a man stood concealed on one side, 

 with a rope running through the pulleys, who, the instant he 

 felt a cock touch the net, let it go, and the net falling over 

 * the bird, secured the prize/ In the fine old beech wood; 

 which we have already more than once alluded to, numbers 

 were formerly taken, in a wide space, still known by the name 

 of the Woodcock-glade, where many a Winter's night might 

 now be spent unprofitably and possibly without meeting with a 

 single bird. Another mode of catching them was by springes 

 a sort of trap, formed of an elastic stick, to which was 

 fastened a horse-hair noose, put through a hole in a peg, 

 fastened into the ground, to which a trigger was annexed ; 

 and in order to induce the Woodcock to walk towards the 

 noose, a little fence was extended on each side by small sticks, 

 set up close enough to prevent the bird passing between : 

 these all met at the trap ; so that, by this funnel-shaped 

 fence, the Woodcock in feeding is compelled to pass through 

 the narrow passage, with every chance of being caught by 

 the legs. The elastic stick, in flying up, of course draws 

 the noose quite tight, and effectually secures the Woodcock ; 

 but common horse-hair nooses will often answer the purpose, 

 particularly if the little avenue fence is placed to lead the 



