THE MIGRATION OF WOODCOCKS 



To many a man the Christmas woodcock is of more 

 importance than the Christmas turkey ; three or 

 four days' covert shooting in the last week of 

 December is more attractive to him than all the 

 fattened fowl in Christendom. Not that the 

 pursuit of the one bird may not be followed by the 

 consumption of the other, for a good day's sport 

 usually argues comfortable country quarters and a 

 good cuisine ; but the idea paramount is shooting, 

 not eating, and the fervent wish of the shooter is 

 that the coverts may hold a good sprinkling of 

 cock. 



Whether the birds have been bred in the 

 neighbourhood, or have "come in " from a distance, 

 is to many persons a matter of indifference so long 

 as they are to be found when wanted. The great 

 charm about the Woodcock is the uncertainty of 

 discovering his exact whereabouts, and the further 

 uncertainty of bringing him to bag when flushed. 

 For it is one thing to see a Woodcock and another 

 thing to get him. It is surprising how many, who 

 are good shots at pheasants and rabbits, will miss a 

 Woodcock when they have the chance ; and it is 

 amusing to note how many excellent reasons are 

 at once forthcoming to explain the failure — "The 



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