WOODCOCK SHOOTING. 329 



pleasurable excitement and anxious expectation which follows the 

 sound of those words as they echo through the wood. 



The note of the woodcock is a guttural cry, sounding like 

 " Pa-a-ck!" or " Pa-a-ik /" 



Excellent woodcock-shooting may be had in Ireland ; and though 

 there may sometimes be a difficulty in finding dogs, there are plenty 

 of Irish peasants with their shillelaghs ready and willing, for a small 

 remuneration, to proceed in line through the woods and flush the 

 cocks for the sportsman. 



As to the abundance of woodcocks in that country, it is recorded 

 of the late Duke of Richmond, that many years ago, when Lord- 

 Lieutenant of Ireland, he received as a present an immense pie, 

 which, when opened, was found to contain twenty score of wood- 

 cocks !* 



* Vide Craven's Recreations in Shooting. 



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