WOODCOCK BATTUE. 51 



until at last the word is given to advance, when 

 each beater shouting ' Heigh cock ! ' at the very 

 top of his voice, and laying his stick about him 

 with all the energy of a thrasher, such an unin- 

 terrupted and discordant row ensues as might 

 well start every cock within hearing from his 

 place of concealment, and, in fact, causes num- 

 bers of those birds to spring prematurely from 

 distant parts of the wood. Here, however, those 

 wary gunners who have previously taken up their 

 position on favourable heights possess a great 

 advantage, and bring down many woodcocks as 

 they fly in various directions, sometimes towards 

 the beaters, sometimes in the face of the shooter, 

 each struggling to escape the danger, but not 

 knowing from which quarter it proceeds. By 

 this time all discipline is at an end. Some of 

 ' the boys,' having caught a glimpse of a falling 

 woodcock in the distance, now fling away their 

 poles and rush towards the spot, all anxious to be 

 the first to pick up the bird and to congratulate 

 the successful shooter on his dexterity ; who, by 

 the way, receives their compliments with marked 

 ingratitude as they come rushing through the 

 cover, insist on keeping close to his person, and 

 so, effectually spoil his sport for the rest of the 

 day. The same scene is probably enacting in 

 ten different places at once. All order is at 



D 2 



