342 Mr. W. Thompson on the Breeding of 



About the second week of June, a fourth brood was seen, of 

 which the nest was not found. 



In 1838, one nest containing four eggs (which may be con- 

 sidered the ordinary number) was observed in the park ; the 

 young appeared in April : by the middle of this month they 

 have generally come out here*. Long after the general de- 

 parture of the woodcocks for the north this year, the game- 

 keeper saw what he believed to be five distinct brace of these 

 birds in one portion of the park, and considers that they were 

 more numerous than in any previous summer. The nests 

 were not discovered as usual, in consequence of boys, by whom 

 they were all found on former occasions, not having been em- 

 ployed in the young plantations. Daily throughout the year, 

 the gamekeeper now either sees or hears woodcocks without 

 going out of his way or attending to them ; indeed they fly 

 very much about his cottage, situated in a beautiful open glade, 

 and from about its door may be seen on wing every evening. 

 I obtained this information when at Tullamore Park in the 

 month of August 1836, and in June lastf. On the 28th of 

 this month 1 visited the park in the hope of seeing some of 

 these birds, but the evening was so fine and light that they 

 did not commence flying until it was very late, and then dark- 

 ness suddenly came on. At half-past nine o'clock the first 



* In the 9th volume of the ' Magazine of Natural Histoiy' (p. 543) it is 

 stated of three nests found in a wood near Derby, that the young were 

 hatched in the month of April, In vol. i. (NewJSeries) of this same work, it 

 is remarked, in a notice of its breeding in Ross-shire, that the woodcock 

 " hatches early, often at the latter end of March, but generally by the first 

 week of April." On the 10th of this latter month, the writer of the commu- 

 nication to the Magazine, saw woodcocks sitting on their nests, one of which 

 contained eggs. 



-f' Some few points on which naturalists are agreed have perhaps been 

 unnecessarily introduced, but coming from an intelligent man who has had 

 ample means for observation, it was considered better to include them. In 

 proof of Tullamore Park and its vicinity being a favourite resort of the wood- 

 cock, it may be stated, that the gamekeeper has with a brace of pointers 

 killed eight brace of these birds during a forenoon in the heath skirting the 

 plantations, and with the aid of one dog and a boy to beat the covers, has 

 shot ten brace within a similar time in the park. In the severe snow storm 

 of 1827, three gentleman on a visit here, and not going out before noon, 

 killed and bagged seveniy-five brace in three days ; and giving themselves no 

 trouble in looking after wounded birds, many more which had fallen by 

 their guns were afterwards picked up. During the month of January 1838, 

 about 100 brace were obtained by occasional shooting. The gamekeeper 

 considers that he has seen so many as eighty brace in one day. 



