BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 141 



and went to a favourite spot to begin at ; thinking 

 to be first on the ground, he sat on a gate close by 

 waiting for daylight ; but so far from his being the 

 first, he found, as it got light, three other people, 

 all waiting, like himself, to begin as soon as it was 

 light enough, each thinking he was going to be first 

 and have it all his own way with the cocks. 

 Besides the gun, another mode of capturing the 

 Woodcocks used till very lately to be, and perhaps 

 still is, practised at Woodlands and some other 

 places where practicable in Guernsey. Nets are 

 set across open paths between the trees, generally 

 Ilex, through which the Woodcocks take their flight 

 when going out " reading," as it is called that is, 

 when on their evening excursion for food; into 

 these nets the Woodcocks fly and become easy 

 victims. 



Professor Ansted includes the Woodcock in his 

 list, but only marks it as occurring in Guernsey and 

 Sark. There is one specimen in the Museum. 



119. SOLITARY SNIPE. Scolopax major, Gmelin. 

 French, " Grande becassine." I have never been 

 fortunate enough to shoot a Solitary Snipe myself 

 in the Channel Islands, neither have I seen one at 

 any of the birdstuffers ; but that is not very likely, 

 as the shooter of a Solitary Snipe only congratulates 

 himself on having killed a fine big Snipe, and carries 



