Woopcock. GRALLATORES. SCOLOPAX. 109 
the whole country gradually receives its accession of winter 
visitants, those that take up their haunt in the northern 
counties of England and Scotland seldom arriving before 
the middle of November or the beginning of December ; the 
earlier flights, when they do alight in the country, merely 
remaining for a day, and then passing on to the southward. 
From this latter circumstance, the search for Woodcocks in 
Northumberland, in the beginning of the season, is very un- 
certain, and, to insure success, attention must be paid to the 
state of the weather and the direction of the wind. I have 
found that they always come over in the greatest bodies in 
hazy weather with little wind, and that blowing from the 
north-east ; and it is probable that they then find the upper 
region of the atmosphere (in which they fly) freer from coun- 
ter currents of air, than in more open weather. After a 
night of this description I have frequently met with great 
numbers upon the edges of plantations, in hedges, and even 
in turnip fields, and enjoyed excellent sport for the day ; 
but on seeking, g 
the like success, I have not found a single bird, the whole 
on the following morning, for a renewal of 
flight having proceeded on their course during the interven- 
-ing night. It is during this time that Woodcocks, like 
most migratory birds, perform their journeys ; and it seems 
probable that those which halt upon the eastern coast of 
Scotland, and the northern counties of England, have com- 
pleted their task from shore to shore, between sunset and 
sunrise, as they appear but little fatigued on their arrival, 
provided the weather has been calm. ‘The distance of the 
coasts of Norway and Sweden, from whence these visitors are 
supposed to come, offers no objection to this supposition, as 
a continued flight of eight or ten hours, even at a rate infe- 
rior to what I conceive they are capable of accomplishing, 
would suffice for the transit. Another argument in favour 
of this supposition, is the high state of condition in which 
the birds generally arrive on our shores, especially at an ad- 
vanced period of the season, by no means indicating the 
