WOODCOCKS AND SNIPES. 163 



yourself upon an opposite knoll, every flushed woodcock 

 is immediately seen, and his course traced without the 

 possibility of subterfuge or evasion. Many sportsmen 

 place a marker upon this point ; and are thus directed 

 to the very spot where all the sprung birds have pitched. 

 But it they had the patience to watch a few times for 

 themselves, they would be amply rewarded by insight 

 into the manoeuvres of this interesting visitant. If sprung 

 fairly, most of them will top precisely the same trees, and 

 fly past the same openings every time. Some will make 

 it their rule to pitch down after taking one stretch across ; 

 others, by wheeling about, take two ; while a few lazy 

 ones may content themselves with a flight only half 

 through the wood. If flushed a second time, however, 

 their movements, for that day, are not so much to be 

 depended on. Should the party of beaters be numerous 

 and noisy, many of the woodcocks will drop down outside 

 the covert ; especially if much persecuted and driven about. 

 Some sly old fellows try this ruse after their first flight. 

 The sportsman, therefore, should always walk round the 

 plantation, outside, before quitting it. But, as most of the 

 birds will fly sharp, he must be prepared for snaps. The 

 extreme regularity of the woodcock's flight has been proved 

 to me, even after putting him up the second time. We 

 flushed one in the Kilmun coverts, out of reach. He flew 

 straight for a bit of marshy ground ; some woodcutters 

 were at work there, and prevented his settling. In a 

 short time we noticed him come back, and light close to 

 the same spot where he was first put up. He again rose 



