AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 49 



are pretty certain to return once at least by the same 

 glade or opening in the wood, and sometimes pass 

 three or four times before finally leaving the wood 

 for their feeding-grounds. Their flight at these 

 times is generally very rapid. An old gamekeeper 

 used to say " they flies out like a Snipe and comes in 

 like a [h]Owl." The Woodcocks seem to use the 

 same glade for these evening flights year after year, 

 and their passing-places being well known by tradi- 

 tion of the elders, they have in many cases acquired 

 the name of Cockshot or Cockshoot. The Woodcock 

 is easily snared at his feeding-places, and in certain 

 places at home and abroad a good many were, and 

 perhaps still are, taken in hanging nets. 



I have often heard of and twice witnessed a curious 

 habit of this bird that I do not remember to have 

 seen in any way explained. I was sent forward to 

 stand in a ride of an oak copse in Ireland whilst the 

 beaters and two shooters beat the covert towards me. 

 I had hardly reached my post when a shot was fired 

 and the cry of " Cock forward ! " reached my ears. 

 The young oaks in front of me were pretty tall and 

 very thick, and in a minute or two I heard something 

 crash into them within a few yards of me. I could 

 see for a certain distance in under the trees, and 

 looking for what I expected would be the dead 

 Woodcock, was astonished to see the bird crouching 

 close and busily employed in covering itself with 

 dead leaves, which it deliberately drew over its back 

 by two and three at a time, scuffling meanwhile 

 slightly with its feet to make a depression. In a 

 very few minutes I could see nothing of the bird 

 but one eye, and though I fired several shots at other 

 birds from my post, this bird remained in its " cache " 



VOL. II. E 



