1891.
Nov. 5
(No 2)
Concord, Massachusetts.
Concord & Acton. - the scent of a Hermit Thrush or 
some other small bird and did not cock my gun.
As I was putting one leg on the wall, however,
a Woodcock sprang and went off at such speed
and so irregularly that I did not even attempt
to shoot at it. I followed it at once and 
the dog flushed it twice without getting its scent.
It flew only a few rods each time but although
I marked it down after the third flight I
failed to find it again until fully two hours
later when the dog pointed it in the exact
spot near the wall, whence it rose the first time,
and I killed it. In the interim I visited this
spot and walked all over it examining the ground
closely for chalkings. The Woodcock was certainly
not there then. It must have returned later, either
by running or flying. When finally killed it
the sun had set and twilight was falling.
I have never had such an experience before.
[margin]A Woodcock returns to the spot where it was first flushed[/margin]
[margin]Begin at mark on preceding page[/margin]
  After giving up this Woodcock the first time
and beating over the remainder of the ground I
was on my way back to the wagon where I
started a large bevy of Quail, at least fifteen large
fine birds. They rose from a ground juniper on
the edge of a run and quite in the open but
I was unprepared for them and fired only one
barrel killing my bird, a gigantic old cock.
The bevy flew back over the "Woodcock hole" & 
I marked them down on the knoll beyond.
Following them I put up a bird and missed it.
The others then began flying all around me
[margin]Quail[/margin]