658 The Zoologist— April, 1867. 



from the ground, and supported the noose. This, in fact, constituted 

 the trigger, which was to be released when struck by the breast of the 

 woodcock. The old man constructed his trap in much less lime than 

 1 have taken to describe it. His last care was to weave the sedges on 

 either side of the run into a kind of screen, so as to weir the woodcock 

 into the snare, and this he accomplished with much skill and 

 expedition." 



" As a woodcock, to my own springe 

 I am justly kill'd with my own treachery." 



Hamlet, Act v. Scene 2. 



Another method of taking this bird was with a steel trap called 



" a gin." 



" Now is the woodcock near the gin." 



Twelfth Night, Act ii. Scene 4. 



This trap being commonly used now-a-days for rats, is probably too 

 well known to need a description here. 



* * "so strives the woodcock with the gin." 



Henry VI., Part III., Act i. Scene 4. 



In taking leave of this species, we may conclude with the portentous 

 words of the clown in ' Twelfth Night,' who, after a lengthy dialogue 

 with Malvolio on the subject of the transmigration of souls, and the 

 opinion of Pythagoras concerning wildfowl,* concludes by saying: 



" Fear to kill a woodcock, lest thou dispossess the soul of thy grandam. Fare 

 thee well." 



Twelfth Night, Act ir. Scene 3. 



Snipe (Scolopax gallinago). 



The only allusion to this bird which we have been able to find 

 occurs in ' Othello,' where Iago, alluding to Roderigo, says : 



" For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane 

 If I would time expend with such a snipe 

 But for my sport and profit" 



Othello, Act i. Scene 3. 



* See later, under head of " Wild Duck.' 



