WOODCOCKS AND SNIPES. 121 



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 wild ; 

 but my beater reminded me of the woodmen. So we stationed 

 ourselves in the line of his return progress, and soon had the 

 satisfaction of seeing him, as we expected ; and I shot him 

 flying over my head. 



In overgrown larch plantations, with long bare stems, it is 

 impossible to fire too soon, as all the shots must be taken before 

 the birds rise to the branches. If, on the contrary, the covert is 

 low, the cock should be allowed to get among the tree-tops ; 

 and there will, most likely, be opening enough for a quick shot. 

 Otherwise, pick a snap through the thinnest screen of tree-tops 

 and branches. To do all this mechanically requires both self- 

 command and long practice. Of course these remarks refer to 

 large plantations, where there are no open spaces to take 

 advantage of. 



A few woodcocks remain to breed in this country ; and nests 

 of young are found, most seasons, in the heathery islands of 

 Loch Lomond. When the summer is very warm, they, like 

 the wild drakes, moult so severely as for a short time to be 

 unable to fly. I have occasionally seen them in the twilight, 

 after a calm, clear, summer day, chasing each other high in 

 the air ; making a piping noise not unlike the " blouting " of a 

 mire-snipe. In former times, I never heard of their nests 

 being discovered : so, most likely, our less sunny summers 

 have induced a sprinkling of them to remain the whole year. 

 I have in my collection a couple of woodcocks' eggs, found in 

 Inchtavanach a few springs ago. 



The evening flight of the woodcock is rather earlier than 

 the wild duck's. The shrill chirp of the blackbird is a good 



