112 LIFE AND SPORT IN HAMPSHIRE 



the woodcock must have the plan of the covert. A 

 woodcock cannot be lost in a wood, however big and 

 thick. It has some unerring system of sign-posts 

 that point the way to its mate and to its feeding 

 ground. 



Through this wonder-in-little, the wonder-in-great 

 the immense journey across sea and land, often made 

 in the dark becomes a little more intelligible to us. 

 We sometimes think and speak of migration as if 

 the birds were equipped for this journey with some 

 unknown sense of direction and with some gift of 

 special flight. But, seeing how quickly the woodcock 

 becomes familiar with its autumn haunt, threading its 

 way through thicket and dingle to feeding grounds, 

 and silently and surely rinding mate or companion, we 

 may doubt whether there is need even in migration for 

 special sense equipment. It would seem as if the full- 

 grown woodcock's science of direction and knowledge of 

 its whereabouts were always as perfect as need be. Of 

 course there are many wild creatures, furred, feathered, 

 and scaled, which find each other and keep in touch 

 by obvious methods. There is nothing subtle about 

 the way in which the foxes find one another in the 

 wood at night ; or the crows or owls. Here the guide 

 is one of penetrating scent or sound. Eagles and 

 falcons and high soaring birds of prey need never be 

 out of touch for long ; sight is a true and easy guide 

 for them. 



Where the clue is neither through the ear nor eye, 



