Concord, Massachusetts.
1891.
Oct. 31
(No 5)
Concord & Carlisle - do this deliberately and systematically.
On very many occasions the dog has first struck the
scent among low scanty birches where a good shot
would have been certain and "roaded" it 100 yds. or more
into a thicket of bushy young pines where the bird
often rose in such a manner as not to show itself
at all. I have before remarked on the change of
flight of the Woodcock since the days when I began
shooting him (1869-75). It is now the exception - in
fact a rather rare occurrence - for a bird to rise over
the tops of the trees. He usually steals away low down
in an irregular course taking advantage of openings
among the trees and often twisting like a Snipe.
All this is doubtless due to long presentation and,
to a greater or less extent, to natural selection.
The Woodcock has learned wisdom by bitter
experience and such individuals as were too
stupid to profit by the lesson of a narrow escape
from a charge of shot have perished and left
no descendants.
[margin]Woodcock shooting[/margin]
  The two successful shots (I fired no others) with
which I ended the day did much to reconcile
me to the provoking ill-luck of the forenoon
and I enjoyed the drive home quite as keenly
as if I had made a better bag. There was
a strong S.W. wind blowing and clouds gathering
in the West, but the air was soft and rather 
damp and laden with the odor of dead leaves.
Nearly all the deciduous trees except the oaks
are now nearly bare.