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matrimonial act, and are to be looked on as an evidence of the modesty with which the female 

 meets the bold advances of her lover ; for when the pairing-season is over one not unfrequently 

 observes Woodcocks to meet whilst ' roding,' without pursuing each other." 



Referring to the custom of shooting Woodcocks by posting one's self in the line of country 

 traversed by them, which is in Swedish called the drag or strack, Mr. Ekstrom says, " should the 

 sportsman be unacquainted with the ' drag,' he ought some fine evening to take a walk in the 

 forest and ascertain its whereabouts. But in this he must be guided by the weather; for if 

 stormy, the task would be hopeless. It should be calm, and, in preference, raw and cold, with a 

 drizzling rain, as the Woodcock then rodes best. Most commonly the ' drag ' is situated amongst 

 hills and eminences, interspersed with morasses. The Woodcock seldom flies across the latter, 

 but along their sides. When, therefore, one meets with a morass of a somewhat oval or oblong 

 form, bounded by woods, one is pretty sure to find what is called a ' kors-drag,' or spot where 

 the birds that ' rode ' along the sides of the morass and those that ' rode ' across the ends of it, 

 intersect each other. The sportsman having found such a locality, stations himself there, and if 

 possible on rising ground, partly to shorten the distance should the Woodcock fly high, and 

 partly that he may be enabled to keep a better look-out. The trees, however, should not be too 

 lofty, nor the under cover too dense, as in that case his view would be impeded, and he would be 

 unable to see the bird until immediately above his head ; and being thus obliged to fire some- 

 what at random, he would be very apt to miss it. When the trees on the spot selected by myself 

 have been too high and close, I have lessened the evil by causing several to be cut down, so that 

 an unobstructed view might be obtained. But this plan has not always succeeded ; for though 

 the stumps of the felled trees have been covered with moss &c, the birds have taken the alarm 

 and changed their ' drag.' 



" During the first days of spring the Woodcock commences ' roding ' the instant the sun has 

 sunk below the horizon, but at a more advanced period somewhat before its total disappearance, 

 and continues until nightfall. In the morning it begins ' roding ' whilst still quite dark, and 

 ceases previous to its being full daylight. When the bird ' rodes ' there is always an interval 

 between each tour and retour, which is more observable in the evening, when it goes and returns 

 three several times. The first time it always flies high, and generally with rapidity ; the second, 

 its flight is but little above the tree-tops, and commonly slower ; the third time still nearer the 

 ground, and yet more leisurely ; but it is then, especially in early spring, too dark to take proper 

 aim. One ought, therefore, always to fire when it makes its appearance for the second time. 



"In the morning no one attempts thus to shoot the Woodcock. It 'rodes' at so early an 

 hour that it is difficult to distinguish the bird, and more so to take correct aim. Its ' rodings ' 

 then last so short a time, besides, that when it becomes light enough to shoot they are over." 



In Germany as in Scandinavia most of the Woodcocks that are shot are obtained directly or 

 soon after they arrive in the spring ; and every German sportsman looks forward with eager 

 pleasure to the arrival of this bird. According to an old sporting rhyme it is supposed to make 

 its first appearance on the so-called " Oculi " Sunday, the third Sunday in Lent, which is usually 

 termed Woodcock Sunday, the Gospel of the day being called the Woodcock Gospel ; and though 

 every good sportsman deems it his duty to attend church on that day, his thoughts, I fear, stray 



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