A SPRINGE FOR WOODCOCKS. 229 



" Four woodcocks in a dish." 



Love's Labour 's Lost, Act iv. Sc. 3. 



The woodcock, for some unaccountable reason, was sup- 

 posed to have no brains, and the name of this bird became 

 a synonym for a fool. It is to this that Claudio alludes 

 when he says : — 



" Shall I not find a woodcock too?" 



Much Ado about Nothing, Act v. Sc. 1. 

 Again — 



" O this woodcock ! what an ass it is !" 



Taming of the Shreiv, Act i. Sc. 2. 



Shakespeare has many allusions to the capture of this 

 bird by springe and gin — 



" Aye, springes to catch woodcocks." 



Hamlet, Act i. Sc. 3. 



In his " Natural History and Sport in Moray," Mr. St. 

 John describes a springe with which he used to take both 

 snipe and woodcocks very successfully. It was made as 

 follows : — 



A. Rod like a mole-trap stick. B. Short piece of stick, c. Forked stick with one 

 end passed through the other. D. Straight stick. E. Bent stick, r. Hair-snare. 



