THE WOODCOCK 259 



roses and other flowers were in full bloom and the 

 heavy summer foliage cast strong blue shadows 

 through the woods, intensifying by contrast the spots 

 of vivid green where the sunlight fell. It was very 

 hot and we returned often to the ice-cooler in the car. 

 The mosquitoes were abundant and industrious. Al- 

 though we had ice we found it difficult to preserve 

 the game. Many of the birds were small, and I was 

 more than ever impressed that it was not the season 

 for shooting feathered game. 



Forester tells of shooting in July with a friend who 

 fired at a woodcock, which fluttered off as though 

 wounded. When it was again put up it returned on 

 strong wings to the place where it was first flushed. 

 Following it, one of the dogs found and caught a 

 young cock still unable to fly. What stronger argu- 

 ment could be advanced for prohibiting the summer 

 shooting? The date when the young were hatched in 

 the nest photographed by Mr. Hills was, as I have ob- 

 served, later than June 28th. The open season in 

 some of the States is still July ist. Just think of a 

 campaign against birds two days old ! It is not only 

 outrageously wrong, but cruel to shoot woodcock in 

 July. The opening date should not be earlier than 

 October ist. The consensus of opinion among sports- 

 men is now strongly against summer shooting. It has 

 been prohibited in New England and in many other 

 States, and it is to be hoped that it will be prohibited 

 in every State in the Union within the coming year. 



There is but little pleasure to be obtained from sum- 

 mer cock shooting. It is very hot, tiresome work at 

 best, hard alike on man and dog. The heavy summer 



