BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 123 



Valued than the Woodcock. As a rule, the first flight 

 may be expected about the second week in October*, 

 in numbers varying greatly from year to year, accord- 

 ing to the state of the wind and weather at the time 

 of their passage. With the prevailing winds off the 

 land in October from S. to W., it is never a great 

 Woodcock season on this coast; but strong winds 

 blowing anywhere from the opposite quarters, from 

 S.E. to N.W., and better, thick, foggy, or drizzly 

 weather accompanying these winds, are invariably 

 highly favourable to an abundant arrival of " cocks" 

 along the eastern seaboard. The stronger the wind and 

 the wilder the weather from these quarters, the greater, 

 as a rule, the number of birds that may be found. 



It does not follow, however, that these winds are 

 the most favourable for the passage of the Woodcock ; 

 I am inclined to think the reverse is the case, and 

 that we shall find that the most favourable circum- 

 stances for their crossing, as well as our other autumn 

 visitors f, are clear weather and moderate winds from 

 the W. or S., and that a long flight is best kept up, 

 and easiest sustained, either against a head wind or 

 one "a few points free." The fact that Woodcocks 

 are always most numerous at the period of migration 



* Rarely at an earlier period. I have only once met with it 

 in September (in 1868, on the 27th, a single bird). 



t At the period of the autumnal migrations, our various 

 migratory species, both of shore and land birds, are invariably 

 most abundant on this coast during or after the prevalence of 

 strong N. or N.E. winds. 



G2 



