130 WOODCOCK. 



is the best shot in the county of G-alway, out and out; sure your honour that was an 

 alegant shot! oh, it was indeed a fine shot; I would walk the world over, after your 



honour, shooting!" After the examination Captain St. Q ■ became the lion; a 



thousand questions were asked as to the exact position it was in when struck, such as 

 a little up or down, flying to the right or left, etc., etc. In a short time each man had 

 a different version of the fact; some hinted it was no remarkable shot; if they had been 

 there, they could have killed it too; and certainly never could have mistaken it for a 

 white Pigeon, for really that was too ridiculous. 



But the death of the white Woodcock does not, as you may suppose, rest here. All 

 the old men and women attribute their ill luck this season to the death of the "good 

 bird" (fairy. ) Cornelius, too, has been but badly off since ; his crop of potatoes, on which 

 he had placed so much consequence, from the appearance of the stalk, on getting up, proved 

 to be a complete failure; and, to sum up all, his wife, a sweet pretty creature, the 

 beauty of the barony or the adjoining ones, Avith eyes like sloes, snow-white teeth, and 

 a beautiful figure, has been brought to bed of an idiot — all through Corny having been 

 one of the murderers of the "good bird" who had protected the barony from all harm 

 these four years back. 



Ould Widdie O'Reiley has said, "In one more season Corny will want for a pratie," 

 and "the ould divil is too demented to say what is not true," at least so Father 

 0' Toole says. 



To those who know Ireland, this will not appear extraordinary ; to others I must beg 

 to assure them this is quite the feeling of the Irish. That Corny will want is beyond 

 a doubt ; for there exists, although quite unintentionally, a sort of superstitious combina- 

 tion against him. But having no faith in these things myself, I have now only to 

 say that the bird was rather large, milk white, with the exception of two brown feathers 

 in the right wing, and one in the left; the beak brown, and the legs grey. The eyes 

 were what is termed "wall-eyed" in horses; the condition was excellent. 



The bird is stuffed in the best style, and in the possession of Colonel Persse, of Galway, 

 and any person, by making a proper application, I dare say, will be allowed to see it." 



The time of pairing is somewhat uncertain, but it is probably very early in the 

 spring; some think that pairing takes place before they leave our shores, but this seems 

 to be doubtful, unless among those that are late in migrating. A considerable number 

 of these birds annually remain to breed with us; and from the infrequency of such 

 records formerly, we are obliged to conclude that some unknown general cause has of 

 late years been in operation, which has led them to remain here to breed. What this 

 cause may be, no one seems to know; it possibly may be that the extensive forests in 

 the north of Europe may not now offer as secure and quiet a retreat as formerly; 

 indeed we have heard that for some years past their eggs have been eagerly sought after 



