4 SCOLOPACID.E. 



migration." The circumstance of the separation for a time 

 of the males and females in the Woodcock, or Woodsnipe, 

 as it is sometimes called, accounts for the result which 

 occurred at the early part of the present Woodcock season. 

 On making internal examination of twelve Woodcocks, 

 from one locality, for the purpose of ascertaining the sex, 

 for my use in this work, only two of them proved to be 

 males. 



Under the influence of a north-east wind, their course is 

 probably between south and west ; this will account for the 

 numbers of Woodcocks found in Devonshire, Cornwall, in 

 Wales, and in Ireland ; the birds in many instances pur- 

 suing their course till they reach the sea, or returning, if 

 possible, when they have overshot the land. In Ireland, 

 says the Rev. Mr. Daniel, in his Rural Sports, " the Earl 

 of Claremont shot fifty couple in one day ; but it should be 

 premised that such was the abundance of these birds as to 

 be sold in some parts near Bally shannon, in the county of 

 Donegal, for one penny each, and the expense of powder 

 and shot." The author of Wild Sports of the West, says, 

 " the Woodcock-shooting in the West of Ireland is ac- 

 knowledged to be very superior ; and when the flight has 

 been large, and the season is sufficiently severe to drive the 

 birds well to cover, there is not, to a quick eye, more beau- 

 tiful shooting in the world. Some of the covers are copses 

 of natural wood, situated in the very centre of the moun- 

 tains ; consequently, when the snow falls, every Woodcock 

 for miles around deserts the heath, and seeks the nearest 

 shelter. Then will the sportsman be amply repaid for his 

 labour. From a copse of not more than thirty acres 1 ex- 

 tent, I have seen fifty couple of Woodcocks flushed ; and 

 as several excellent covers lay in the immediate vicinity, it 

 was no uncommon thing for two or three guns to bring 



