230 SHOOTING. 



to seek in the day time, but when necessity compels him. 

 Shooting woodcocks is a very pleasant amusement in woods 

 which are not too thick ; and, if they are cut through in several 

 places, it renders it more easy to shoot this bird in his passage 

 when he rises, and also to mark him with greater certainty ; and 

 and woodcocks will generally be found near the openings or roads 

 through the woods, if there are any. In this diversion a good 

 marker is of essential service ; for with his assistance it will be 

 difficult for a woodcock to escape ; as he will generally suffer 

 himself to be shot at three or four times before he takes a long 

 flight. 



Springers are frequently used for this diversion see the head 

 Springer ; and give notice when the cock rises by barking : 

 these animals, when well trained, may answer very well ; and, in 

 fact, they are better adapted for this than pheasant shooting. 



The woodcock is a clumsy walker, and rises heavily from the 

 ground, which I believe is the case with most birds that have 

 long wings and short legs. This bird, as well as the snipe, it is 

 said, rises from its bill.* When a woodcock is found in an 



* It frequently happens that an opinion once generally received, 

 however ridiculous its origin or absurd in ijself, if it be not of a nature 

 to excite inquiry, becomes a sort of common law, from the circum- 

 stance of its being handed frem one generation to another with implicit 

 credit, untainted by the most remote suspicion. Thus, in those parts 

 of the country where I have resided, the idea that the snipe rose from 

 its bill, or that in rising from the ground to fly, this bird pushed itself 

 up by its long bill, so as to be able to use its wings, was the uniform 

 and mistaken belief. Indeed, I should never have suspected this opin- 

 ion but for an accidental circumstance, which occurred last winter, 

 when in shooting at a snipe, I wounded it very slightly, merely fractur- 

 ing the extreme end of one of its wings : the bird came to the ground, 

 but made many efforts to rise again, and absolutely contrived to raise 

 itself a yard or more repeatedly. By the time I had re- loaded my gun, 

 the snipe had got to a considerable distance, principally, however, by 



