42 SCOLOPACIDJE. 



of this opportunity of catching Woodcocks by means of thin 

 silk nets, of inch-and-a-half meshes ; these are suspended 

 between poles across avenues in parks and pleasure-grounds. 

 These nets being fastened to poles at their lower end, three 

 feet from the ground, are hoisted up by means of a pulley, 

 right and left ; to which a small cleft stick is fastened, which 

 is formed like a linen peg, in the slit of which the loop 

 at each top-corner is slightly slipped, so as to fall over the 

 bird as soon as it flies against the net ; which entangles the 

 more readily by means of the bullets that are attached to the 

 two top corners of the net. Whether this method would 

 answer in this country where poaching prevails to a greater 

 extent than anywhere else on the face of "the globe, is 

 doubtful, but no better mode of obtaining Woodcocks could be 

 devised, and in Holland we have taken numbers in this way. 



In its nature the Woodcock is exceedingly timid, and con- 

 sequently it is never seen flying about during the day-time, 

 unless it has been startled from its hiding-place ; under such 

 circumstances it throws itself as soon as possible to the ground, 

 where it remains flat until all clanger seems distanced, when 

 it flies again to the cover of trees or brambles ; the latter 

 being generally a favourite shelter even in the woods. The 

 colouring of this bird harmonizes so completely with the dead 

 foliage on the ground, or with the roots of trees, that it re- 

 quires an eye of extraordinary quickness to detect it in its 

 usual seat. The large eyes of the Woodcock are the only 

 means by which the bird can be distinguished when on the 

 ground. 



The Woodcock utters several sounds, which are difficult to 

 describe ; we shall, however, attempt it ; at dark in the even- 

 ing it repeats a word somewhat like tseep, pronounced very 

 lispingly and damped. When flushed, it says catch, catch ! 

 or dack, dack ! expressive of alarm and fear. 



