12 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



out and finds them common, whereas where the coyer is heavy and 

 the ground difficult lie goes out far less often and sees far fewer birds* 



Exactly the same conditions are found in the North-East Frontier. 

 The Khasia Hills appear to have been forested with an especial 

 view to provide good shooting for Woodcock and therefore tradition 

 has long demanded that every sportsman who wishes to be known 

 as such must pursue this bird for all he is worth. He'nce it is known 

 to be more or less common and the hardworking gunner may work 

 up to nearly a hundred birds in a good season, indeed Major Wilson 

 has only just missed his 200 birds in one season. Next to the Khasia 

 Hills are the North Oachar Hills, in fact they form part of the same 

 Range. These, however, are either very heavily forested or are 

 covered with bamboo. The latter are seldom in India, as far as I 

 am aware, frequented by Woodcock and the former is too heavy to 

 allow of shooting small game with any comfort • the consequence 

 is no one ever attempts this form of sport and the cock is said to be- 

 rare. The fact is, I think, that anywhere between 1st November 

 and 1st March in hills over 4,000 feet elevation one should be able 

 to find Woodcock if sufficient time and trouble is given to the search 

 and there are suitable places for the birds to lie up in. In the plains 

 the matter is different and here Woodcock are only rare visitors, 

 though chance birds are met with, generally in December and 

 January, in many parts of the country. In Burma they seem to- 

 descend to the lower countries, often almost to sea level as Oates 

 says, "more frequently than they do in India. Still, even in the 

 latter country, wherever there are hills near by cock are sure to 

 be found at more or less frequent intervals during the cold, 

 weather. 



In Dibrugarh, in Lakhimpur, which is surrounded by lofty hills at 

 no great distance, anything from five or six to a dozen are shot 

 annually. In Cachar one or two are seen or shot each cold weather 

 and the same in practically every district of the Assam Valley. In 

 Dibrugarh there are a few places which are almost a certain find 

 for an odd cock or two during December and January and Mr. F. 

 Moore, who made a point of looking up these birds, always succeed- 

 ed in getting from four to a dozen birds each year he was in this 

 district. In Sylhet Oripps reported it to be so common that he had 

 known of as many as four brace being obtained in a single morning.. 



