MISCELLANEOUS SPORT 319 



a bird has alighted. Woodcock that have been marked 

 down should be followed up at once, as they have a habit 

 of rapidly changing their quarters when they know that 

 guns are about. They often fly into the hedges or under 

 the dykes at the outside of the covert. It is very desir- 

 able that these should be well beaten. The covert ought 

 to be beaten thoroughly, and if the beat is especially for 

 cock, the holly bushes and laurels should be well shaken. 

 The best days to shoot woodcock are after clear moon- 

 light nights, or days on which the sun is not too bright. 

 Then the keeper may be certain that the woodcock, who 

 is entirely (except under very pressing circumstances) 

 a night feeder, has fed well and that he will lie well, being 

 inclined to be sleepy and lazy. Cock, of course, vary 

 their habitat according to the weather. After a frost 

 they will be found where water can best be obtained. 

 Accordingly the ditches and drains in the covert should 

 be carefully explored. 



The first days after a severe frost are the best for 

 single or two or three guns. All likely places should be 

 worked first, then the ground the birds have flown to, 

 and the guns should finally return to the beat they first 

 worked, but not sooner than two or three hours after 

 they first shot over it. 



When the birds are lying well that is, after a bright 

 night in which they have fed amply it is better to walk 

 them up ; if they are lying badly, that is, after a night 

 in which they have not fed well, it is better to have the 

 birds beaten to the guns. In such weather, an outside 



