THE MIGRATION OF AVOODCOCK. 



163 



Besides these, two other ringed birds have been reported, but 

 were not actually obtained by any responsible person. 



One with one ring only was caught by a cat in 1915, and 

 therefore was a bird marked in 1910, 1911 or 1912; the other 

 with rings of the year 1916 is said to have been shot by a 

 poacher in 1916. 



On looking over this table the most striking fact is the large 

 number of marked birds which have been recovered on the estate, 

 the actual number being 48 out of the total of 55 birds recovered, 

 and of these no fewer than 33 were obtained either in the large 

 wood forming the main breeding-ground or its immediate vicinity. 



Of the seven birds which have been recorded as obtained in 

 other situations three were shot within a radius of ten miles in a 

 southerly direction, two at Hazlewood. and one at Glencar, about 

 6, 7, and 9 months after being marked. 



One was shot at Castlegore, Co. Mayo, which is about 40 miles 

 to the south-west, about six months after being marked. One 

 was noticed in the market-place of Bilbao, having been shot at 

 Morga, in the province of Biscay, Spain, within six months 

 of being marked, the distance in a direct line being about 

 800 miles. 



It is therefore to be noticed that all the birds which have been 

 recovered south of the breeding-place have been obtained within 

 9 months of their being marked. 



Two birds were recovered north of the breeding-place, one 

 about 15 miles to the north-east in the townlands of Mullins, 

 Co. Donegal, 1^ years after being marked, and the other near 

 Bridgetown, Co. Donegal, 60 miles to the north-east, 3| years 

 after being marked. 



The small number of birds recovered during the years 1914- 

 1915 and 1915-1916 is accounted for by the fact that owing to 

 the war there was very little shooting in these years. 



Table III. (p. 164) gives (i.) the year, (ii.) the number of birds 

 marked, (iii.) the number of birds recovered, (iv.) the date the 

 birds were recovered. 



This table is inserted so as to bring out some of the data 

 already given in a more convenient form ; one point to which 

 attention may be drawn is that a bird marked in 1910 was shot 

 in Jan. 1917, so that it must have been at least 6| years old. 



On examining this bird no evidence of old age could be 

 detected, and its weight, which was 13 oz., was rather above 

 the average. 



With regard to the weight of woodcock, on two occasions when 

 a considerable number of ringed birds have been obtained, the 

 weights of these birds have been compared with the weights 

 of the unmarked birds obtained on the same day. Thus, on 

 Jan. 2nd, 1914, nine ringed birds and eight unringed birds were 

 shot. 



The weights of the nine ringed birds were: — 11, 11*5, 11*5, 

 11-75, 11-75, 12-25, 12*25, 12-75, and 13 ounces respectively, 

 giving an average of 11'97 oz. 



