2 WOODCOCK. 



patches of iurze on the Downs, from which they are started 

 by the hounds. In the 'Dukeries,' in Nottinghamshire, Captain 

 Turton, of the Third Dragoon Guards, has written me word 

 that they are very numerous, and breed there, as they do in 

 Ireland, and never leave. 



The promontory of Flamborough Head, in Yorkshire, being 

 the first land that birds make in coming across from the 

 continent, has long been celebrated for flights of these birds. 

 In Cambridgeshire they arrive the end of October, but the 

 Rev. Leonard Jenyns mentions one killed at Bottisham on 

 the 18th. of that month. They remain till the middle, or 

 occasionally till the end of March, and appear to return by 

 the same route by which they had come. 



It is, however, curious that large numbers of the first 

 arrivals occur on the western coast of Ireland and on the 

 Scilly Islands, which are twenty miles west of Land's End. 

 Dr. Stanley tries to account for this by supposing that in the 

 weak condition in which the birds are at that season of the 

 year, namely, before their arrival, they are carried on by the 

 impetus of their flight, urged by the north-east strong gales 

 which prevail, and which suit their purpose at the time, farther 

 than where they would otherwise settle down. But I cannot 

 agree with this explanation, for inasmuch as the farther they 

 went, the weaker and more fatigued they would become, the 

 natural consequence one might think would be, that they must 

 be carried out into the Atlantic Ocean more or less far, 

 according as the storm prevailed, and would not be able, any 

 more -than sooner on their journey, to bring up to the land. 

 Besides this they generally come over, as just now said, in 

 hazy weather, when the wind is not very high, though from 

 that quarter; and do not seem much fatigued on their first 

 arrival: they are to some extent, but after resting for a single 

 day in any places, though ever so unsuitable to their habits, 

 that are first met with, proceed onwards to the south, west, 

 and inland. 



Their migration is carried on usually, if not invariably, by 

 night or in misty weather, and high up in the air: they travel 

 singly or in pairs, but numbers at the same time. They 

 have at different times been seen at sea, far from land, and 

 some have been captured in the rigging and on the decks of 

 vessels, this, too, off the west coast. Many more appear in 

 some years than others. 



A few arrive in September, more in October, at various 



