WINTER BIRDS. 217 



flight, to seek their feeding-grounds. Like 

 many birds, they have well-defined routes, 

 and at twilight may be seen flying along the 

 rides and paths of the woods, or skirting the 

 plantations. 



Coppice-belts they love, especially such as 

 contain spring runs. It is here that the birds 

 most easily find food,, the soft ground enabling 

 them to probe quickly and to a depth in search 

 of earthworms. These constitute their principal 

 diet, and the quantity that a single bird can 

 devour is enormous. Sportsmen know that 

 Woodcocks are here to-day, gone to-morrow. 

 Where they were in plenty yesterday, not one 

 remains. 



Ireland affords the best shooting. There fifty 

 brace have been shot in one day. This feat 

 was the result of a wager, and the bag was made 

 by 2 p.m. with a single-barrel flint-lock. The 

 'Cock were shot in an old, moist wood ; and it 

 is in such spots on the mild west coast that 

 the " woodsnipe " finds its favourite haunt. In 

 England the birds affect coppice-woods— fre- 

 quenting most those which are wet, and such 

 as have rich deposits of dead and decaying 

 leaves. Than this, none of our birds conforms 



