42 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



I am convinced that the Woodcock often, if not 

 generally, rears two broods of young in a year, as 

 those of the first hatch are strong on the wing by 

 the beginning of June, and I have, on the other hand, 

 frequently seen young Woodcocks in Scotland who 

 could only make a poor flight of it between August 

 20 and the end of that month. In Northamptonshire, 

 at least in that part of the county with which I am 

 best acquainted, the Woodcock pretty regularly 

 appears between the 12th and 25th of October. In' 

 1887 Mr. G. Hunt flushed one in his garden at 

 Wadenhoe on Oct. 10th ; this is the earliest autumnal 

 arrival in the neighbourhood of Lilford of which I 

 have any record ; for although I heard of AVoodcocks 

 having been seen in the last week of September 1886, 

 I have no doubt that the birds then observed were 

 lingerers that had bred, or been bred, in our county. 

 I may add that the above is the only report of Wood- 

 cocks in Norths in September that has come to my 

 knowledge. 



The Woodcock is a nocturnal bird, and in stormy 

 or thick weather, at the time of his first arrival, will, 

 as the common saying goes, " drop in anywhere," 

 and with us may be found in turnips, or still more 

 commonly in the old fences that border our roads 

 and lanes. I feel certain that the autumnal migratory 

 instinct and the intention of the Woodcock is ever 

 "westward ho!" that he feeds greedily during the 

 first two or three hours after sunset, and then seeks 

 some sheltered and quiet spot for rest and digestion ; 

 the latter operation completed, if the night is clear 

 and the wind moderate, our bird resumes his travels, 

 and as soon as daylight appears drops into the first 

 attractive-looking spot. If, on the contrary, the night 



