[ 3°9 I 



during the fummer, but alio breed in large traels of 

 wood or bog, without being obferved. 



In the other parts of Europe, all birds almoft are 

 eonlidered as game, or, at leaft, are eaten as whole- 

 fome food, Ray therefore mentions, that hawks and 

 owls are fold by the, poulterers at Rome j every fort 

 of fniall bird alio is equally the foreign fowler's ob» 



j e a *. 



An Englishman does not coniider, on, the other 

 hand, perhaps twelve kinds of birds worthy his at- 

 tention^, or expence. of powder, none of- which are 

 ever fhot in our woods during the fummer, nor- 

 are birds then diilurbed by .felling either -coppice or * 

 timber. 



But it. will be laid, why are not woodcocks fome- - 

 times feen, .however, as they may be fuppofed .to . 

 leave their cover in fearch of food ? 



To this I anfwer, that woodcocks deep always iri- 

 the daytime, whilft with us in the winter, and feed, 

 only during the night -f% - Whenever a woodcock,: 

 therefore,, is flufhed,- he is roufed from his deep by the ! 

 fpaniel or.fportfman, and then takes wing, becaufe . . 

 there are no leaves on the trees to conceal the bird. 



Whoever hath looked attentively at a woodcock's - 

 eye, .muft- fee: thai,-: from the. appearance of it, tha ; 



* In one of Bcccace's Novel?, a lover, wlid lives- at Florer.cp-, . 

 drfiFes a falcon for the dinner of his? miftrefs. ■ Criorna a V, . 

 Novel. IX. 



-f- Almoft all the wild fowl of the duck, kind ajfs deep iti the 

 4s; s ytime, and. feed at nigh>. . 



fight i 



