FLIGHT OF WOODCOCKS. 165 



killing themselves by flying against the glass of the 

 Eddystone Light-house. Of their speed, indeed, 

 some estimation may be formed, by one which struck 

 against the plate-glass of a light-house, on the coast 

 of Ireland, and broke a pane, cast for the place, of 



unusual strength, viz., from A to B (* !!), being 



more than three-eighths of an inch thick; the blow 

 was so violent, that, in addition to the glass being 

 broken, the bird was found dead, with its breast- 

 bone, and both wings, also smashed. Again, no less 

 than five Woodcocks have killed themselves, in a 

 similar manner, against the plate-glasses of the 

 South-Stack light-house, in Anglesey. 



There was a time when Woodcocks might be 

 almost said to be as plentiful as Wood-Pigeons are 

 now; at least, they abounded to such a degree, that 

 catching them was a regular trade; and so late as 

 fifty years ago, they were sold at the moderate 

 rate of from six to sevenpence a couple; but, 

 like Starlings, Wood-Pigeons, and several other 

 birds, they have, of late years, diminished in 

 numbers. 



As far as concerns Woodcocks, this, indeed, may 

 easily be accounted for. In the first place, the de- 

 mand, not for the full-grown birds merely, but for 

 the eggs, has greatly increased in Sweden, where 

 they are as highly esteemed, and therefore as dili- 

 gently sought for, as Plovers' eggs with us. Thus, 

 not a twentieth part of the former abundant num- 

 bers may now be reared, and, of course, our annual 

 Winter supply must proportionably decrease. But 

 other causes have operated, in this country, still 

 further to diminish the number of those which, 



