1891.
Nov. 6
Concord, Massachusetts.
Concord, Acton & Carlisle. - Clear with strong, bracing N.
wind. A little warmer than yesterday, the ground
thawing - perhaps because the sun was shining.
[margin]Woodcock shooting[/margin]
  Spent the day shooting, starting at about 9.A.M.
and getting back at 5.30 P.M. Drove first
to Farrar's hill where George left me & took the
horse back to the deserted house. On Farrar's
hill Don found & pointed two Woodcock and
a Quail. One of the Woodcock lay in an isolated
cluster of birches near the road, the other among
ground juniper on the top of a knoll. I killed
both the first rise getting very difficult shots
The second bird acted very curiously flitting
along close to the surface of the ground although
the cove (birches) was dense & the trees tall.
When I shot this bird it had flown fully
20 yds. yet was not 3 ft. above the ground.
The Quail appeared to be a solitary bird. I had
a fairly good brush shot at it but missed.
  Leaving the hill on the south side I next
walked to the "Woodcock hole". / On the knoll beyond
Don found a good deal of ground scent and
after "roading" it for some distance at length
came to a point under a little pine. I
walked up and stopping within 20 ft of the
dog scanned the ground carefully. [deleted]for the bird.[/deleted] 
I soon discovered the bird, a Woodcock squatting
on the pine needles directly in the shadow
cast by the stem of the tree. Its choice of
this spot may have been accidental of course, 
but I believe the bird chose it because of the
[margin]Woodcock seen squatting on the ground[/margin]
[margin]marks[/margin]