C 3°3 ] 



migration of the woodcock, as of the fnipe *. Wil- 

 lughby alfo fays, that Mr. Jeffop faw young wood- 

 cocks fold at Sheffield (which rather implies a cer- 

 tain number being brought to market), and that 

 others had obferved the fame elfewhere -f. 



We are, indeed, informed by Scopoli $, that they 

 breed constantly in Carniola, which is confiderably 

 to the fouthvvard of any part of England : our 

 country is therefore certainly not too hot for them. 



Woodcocks appear and difappear almoft exactly 

 about the fame time in every part of Europe, and 

 perhaps Africa || : heat and cold, therefore, feem. 

 not to have any operation whatfoever with regard to. 

 the fuppofecl migration of this bird. 



But it may be faid, what fignifies proving the 

 probability of woodcocks breeding in England, if is, 

 is not a known fact that they do fo ?. 



To this it mould feem there are feveral anfwers, as ; 

 it is equally incumbent upon thofe who contend for 

 migration, to fhew thatthefe birds were ever feen on. 

 fuch pafTage. 



Another answer is,, afk ninety-nine people out of 

 a hundred, whether fnipes ever make a neii in Eng- 

 gland; and they will immediately fay, that they; 

 do not ; fo little are fads or obfervations of this fort.. 

 attended to. 



But I mall now endeavour to give fome other rea- 

 fons why woodcocks may.not oniy continue with P&« 



* Phil.Trarrf. abr. Vol. II. p. 889. . 



t B. iii. c. 1. 



£ Ornith. Leipfig, J769. 



I Shaw's Trav. Ptyf.. Ofef. ch, ii. . 



during 



