NOTES ON WOODCOCK AND SNIPE. 163 



were 10'5, 11*5, 12*0, 12'0, and 135 oz. Out of fifty-three and 

 a half couple shot during three days at the late Mr. O'Leary's 

 place, at Cool Mountain, near Inchigula Lakes, between Macroom 

 and Bantry (south-west Ireland), twenty-seven weighed between 

 12 oz. and 14 oz., six weighed between 14 oz. and 15 oz., and one 

 between 15 oz. and 16 oz. 



Yarrell mentions an undoubted instance of a gigantic Wood- 

 cock killed about the year 1775 or 1776, at Uggeshall, Sir Henry 

 Peyton's country seat, which weighed no less than 27 oz., and 

 of another shot at Hadleigh, in Suffolk, of which the weight was 

 24 ounces. 



From these facts it is clear that Woodcock are subject to 

 immense individual variation in weight, which is probably largely 

 due to age. 



The Woodcock is a resident in India, inhabiting the wooded 

 ranges of the Himalayas during the summer months and 

 retreating in autumn to the lower valleys, where some spend the 

 winter, while many migrate further south, as far as Ceylon or 

 Tenasserim. 



It would be interesting to ascertain whether any of the birds 

 which have bred in this country do really migrate south in the 

 autumn. St. John says, talking of Morayshire, that, although 

 the woods abound with Woodcock in the spring and summer, 

 during September scarcely one remains. The next flights appear 

 towards the end of, or the third week of, October, and at every 

 full moon fresh flights appear to come. For some time, till the 

 frosts of winter begin to set in, Woodcock are often found on the 

 open hill, sometimes in turnip fields, rushes, &c. But as winter 

 advances they take to the woods during the day time, flying to the 

 swamps at night with a sharp, rapid flight resembling that of the 

 Snipe. They are not fat till the nights are sufficiently long to 

 afford them plenty of time to feed. Their food consists of worms, 

 of which they eat immense numbers. 



Three other species of Woodcock are known besides the 

 common bird, Scolopax rusticola. The Moluccan Woodcock 

 {S. rochusseni) , of which only a few examples have been obtained, 

 has the upper parts black and golden buff, and the breast uniform 

 buff devoid of cross markings. Another equally rare species is 

 Horsfield's Woodcock (S. saturata), a darker- coloured bird than 

 S. rusticoldy known from Java ; while the third is the American 



