282 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



their passage the weather had been much of the 

 same character over the North Sea. Why they 

 should start simultaneously on this particular 

 evening, and how they managed to keep touch (to 

 use a military term) during a passage of several 

 hundred miles across a stormy sea in fog and 

 drizzling rain, so as to arrive about the same time 

 on our English sandhills, is one of those points in 

 the phenomena of migration which will probably 

 take some time and more extended observations, 

 especially on the opposite coast line, to clear up. 



It has not been demonstrated that the sexes 

 travel apart, as is known to be the case with 

 certain small passerine birds ; but in the opinion of 

 some persons there are two distinct races of Wood- 

 cock, one large and light-coloured, the other small 

 and dark, which keep apart and arrive independ- 

 ently. Mr Clubley of Kilnsea, near the Spurn, 

 who enjoys the reputation of having shot more 

 cocks than anybody else on the east coast, 

 informed Mr Cordeaux, the author of The Birds of 

 the Humber District, that a south-east wind always 

 brings large grey or light-coloured woodcocks, and 

 a north wind small and red-coloured birds ; and this 

 rule is said to apply to other parts of the east 

 coast.-' 



Mr Stevenson, in his account of the Birds of 

 Norfolk, has published some interesting details of 

 woodcock-shooting in that county, mentioning 

 some notable bags which have been made in 

 certain favoured coverts, and I have already 

 " Fifth Report, 1887, p. 51, note. 



