370 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



February, after which we hear nothing more of Woodcock until 

 the last week of March, when a single bird was bought in. If 

 we examine the records for another year, 1621, we find a single 

 bird bought in between September 30 and October 6, another 

 single bird is purchased in the second week ; a flight of Wood- 

 cock arrived in the middle of this month, because 18 Woodcock 

 were bought in the third week, and 21 in the fourth week, 

 making a total bag, to Oct. 28 inclusive, of 45 birds. Twenty-five 

 birds were procured between October 28 and November 3; 12 

 between that date and November 11 ; 21 more up to November 

 1 7. A rush followed, for between November 1 7 and November 

 24 no fewer than 29 Woodcock were purchased. But the rush 

 soon passed on. Twelve birds were indeed taken between Nov. 

 24 and December 1 ; 8 Woodcock were captured up to the 8th 

 of the month; single birds only were taken in the weeks 

 ending December 16 and December 22, and only 4 Woodcock 

 were taken during the remainder of the year. To recapitulate 

 the figures, in 1618, 60 Woodcock were taken in between the 

 end of September and the close of October ; the total number 

 killed in November was 90 birds; 32 were killed in December, 

 and the total number bought in during the last three months of 

 the year was 182 Woodcocks. In 1621, 66 Woodcocks were 

 killed in October, 94 in November, and 14 in December, com- 

 pleting a score 174 Woodcock, or 8 less than in 1618. The 

 difference between the total number obtained in these two 

 seasons is easily accounted for by the fact that twice as many 

 Woodcock were killed in December, 1618, as in 1621, but the 

 results approximate more nearly than might perhaps have been 

 expected. The birds only cost from 3d to 4d apiece; the 

 latter was then reckoned a good price for Woodcock. If we 

 estimate the cost of the lower rate, his Lordship must have paid 

 little more than 45 shillings for all the Woodcock supplied to 

 his table during the season ; but if money then possessed ten 

 times its present purchasing value, why then the outlay may be 

 thought considerable. The practice of purchasing Woodcock 

 from every one who could supply them was no doubt generally 

 in vogue. Sir Daniel Fleming of Eydal enters in his expenses 

 for 1682: 'Dec. 12; Given Parson, Brathwait's son, who 



