I04 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



It is an accepted idea that this bird only feeds by 

 night, and to a certain extent this is true ; but not 

 altogether. If his haunt is in some retired spot, 

 and it generally is so, and hollows are about, damp 

 but not splashy, you may see him rapidly turning 

 and sorting the dead leaves over in the day-time. 

 If alarmed, the head is drawn in ; he listens for a 

 second or two, then squats like a toad, but he is 

 very wide-awake for all that. If you get a chance, 

 it will be a snap-shot, for he sits close to a thorn- 

 bush. Those who have had a cock twist up in a 

 place such as I have mentioned know all about it 

 far better than I can tell them. The cry of " Mark 

 cock ! " causes as much excitement now as it has 

 ever done. Pheasants can go for a time ; no one 

 shoots, for fear another may have a better chance 

 than himself. All eyes are on the bird as he clears 

 the trees with his long bill pointing downwards, it 

 may be to flight back to the place he was flushed 

 from. Both barrels will be loaded, never fear, when 

 that cry is heard. There are so many chances of 

 missing a cock, and good ones too. " Missed him 

 clean with the first," you will hear said frequently, 

 " but dropped him clean with the second." Some 

 have, of course, wasted powder and shot to no pur- 

 pose. I should like to know the exact distance at 

 which a Woodcock is considered to be out of range. 

 At the distance I have seen some fired at, one 

 would really imagine this was all the time the bird 

 was in sight, and that distance was no object. 



The plumage in summer is lighter than what it is 



