SPORT IN ONTARIO 147 



" Zaza "), we started away from the homestead to what 

 Mac was pleased to call the " 'cock ground." 



For half a mile or more the way led along the banks 

 of the little river, and my companion halted every now 

 and again to point out a goodly trout or brilliantly 

 coloured sun-fish, the latter specimen being allied to the 

 perch, and very excellent eating. Then we crossed a 

 little trestle bridge, and, after walking for some con- 

 siderable distance along an old Indian trail through the 

 sugar-lands (sugar maple forest), we arrived on the out- 

 skirts of a tract of boggy ground. This was the farmer's 

 ' 'cock ground." Covering an area of perhaps 150 acres, 

 this marshy land was interspersed with deciduous cedars, 

 sallow, and alder scrub, while a small natural drain, fed 

 by a number of warm springs, trickled its sinuous course 

 through the centre of the bog. A casual examination of 

 the springy shores of the small creek sufficed to tell me 

 that it was a favourite haunt of the longbills, for the 

 " borings " of the birds were to be seen in many places. 

 But for some little time not a feather was moved, with the 

 exception of a small flock of purple grackles, which, not 

 being worth powder and shot, went away unscathed. 



Suddenly, however, the dog, after " feathering " round 

 a clump of evergreens, gave an excited whimper, took a 

 dive into the shrubs, and out flapped a woodcock within 

 fifteen yards of me. Ere I could pull trigger he had 

 screwed behind the trunk of a cedar; but as he flashed 

 across an open space I dropped him with my right barrel, 

 and in almost less time than it takes to record the fact 

 the mongrel brought the bird to me with scarcely a feather 

 ruffled. 



That was the very first American woodcock I had ever 



