THE WOODCOCK. 173 



acknowledge, is often \ery strong, and we are not surprised 

 that but few can resist it, particularly when the law encourages 

 it, and almost every one hears their sporting friends boasting 

 around them of their great success and wonderful deeds the 

 day previous. 



DISAPPEARANCE OF WOODCOCKS. 



During the period of moulting, the latter part of August and 

 the month of September, Woodcocks disappear, or are said to 

 disappear, for a short time, from their usual haunts, and retire, 

 either far North, entirely out of the reach of our Sportsmen, 

 or they congregate, as has been asserted by many, on the wild 

 and rugged hills of the mountain ranges, and there live a life 

 of deep seclusion and indolence during this annual sickness. 

 We have heard and even read much upon this disputed point, 

 as to the whereabouts of these Birds at this time, and have come 

 to the conclusion that they do not all follow the same biddings 

 of nature, but that some remain closely concealed in their old 

 grounds ; others, perhaps, go far North, and many betake them- 

 selves to the high grounds of the interior. By the expression 

 of this opinion we are sure not to go far astray from the truth, 

 and at the same time we do not compromise ourselves, or offend 

 the peculiar doctrines of any Sportsman upon this subject, as 

 we freely confess our belief in nearly all the theories yet ad 

 vanced. 



In the getting up of this work for the benefit of Sportsmen, we 

 wish them all to look upon us more in the light of a compiler 

 than of an author, as our great aim has been to collect from all 

 and every source the greatest amount of information to elucidate 



