WOODCOCK. 323 



numbers at all the chief stations for observing the migration 

 of birds, from Orfordness in the south, to the Isle of May, 

 at the entrance to the Firth of Forth. This flight covered 

 350 miles of the coast of Great Britain, and the birds prob- 

 ably travelled in parallel lines across the North Sea from 

 the opposite coast of Europe. Casualties against the lanterns 

 of lighthouses and light-vessels on the English coast gene- 

 rally occur between midnight and daybreak. The Woodcocks 

 therefore probably leave the opposite coast in the dark of 

 evening or early night. 



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

 probably between south and west ; this will account for the 

 number 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. 



Gilbert White of Selborne says, in his Journal, "A 

 : gentleman writes word from St. Mary's, Scilly, that in the 

 night between the 10th and llth of October, the wind being 

 west, there fell such a flight of Woodcocks within the, walls 

 of the garrison, that he himself shot, and conveyed home, 

 twenty- six couple, besides three couple which he wounded, 

 but did not give himself the trouble to retrieve. On the 

 following day, the 12th, the wind continuing west, he found 

 but few. This person further observes, that easterly and 

 northerly winds only have usually been remarked as pro- 

 pitious in bringing Woodcocks to the Scilly Islands. So 

 that he : is totally at a loss to account for this western flight, 

 unless they came from Ireland. As they took their depar- 

 ture in the night between the llth and 12th, the wind still 

 continuing west, he supposes they were gone to make a visit 

 to the counties of Cornwall and Devonshire. From circum- 

 stances in the letter, it appears that the ground within the 

 lines of the garrison abounds with furze. Some Woodcocks 

 settled in the street of St. Mary's and ran. into the houses 

 and out-houses."* 



Adverse gales may exercise an important influence in 



* Jesse's 'Gleanings in Nat. Hist.', 2nd Ser. p. 179. 



