WOODCOCK. 
the stations witli wliich I was in coiTesponclence. Woodcocks, I ascertained, were considered by the men 
particularly swift-flying birds, being frequently picked up on deck much cut and injured by striking against the 
lamps or rigging. The real cause of such mishaps must, I should imagine, be attributed to the weighty 
condition of the birds at the time of the accident. I am aware that there are statements to the effect that 
A^^oodcocks usually arrive singly or in small parties ; flocks have, however, been recorded as seen approaching 
the land. AAliile steaming out through the Cockle gat towards the open sea one cold November morning in 
1879, just as day Avas bi’cakiug, a flock of at least forty hovered for a few moments round the vessel, and then 
heading towards the land disappeared in the gloom; unfortunately the guns were covered at the time, in 
order to avoid the effects of salt air and damp, or several couple might ha\'e been obtained. 
^ It is seldom that this species or Snipe recover sufficiently from the effects of a shot to rise on Aving after 
having been once knocked doAvn ; a somewhat singular instance, lioAvever, of a AA^oodcock flyino- off after fallino- 
apparently dead occurred some years back at Catsfield, in East Sussex. The beaters had almost completed a 
drive through a portion of a large covert Avhen a Cock, flushed near the boundary, attempted to cross an open 
s lib )le, on which I had been posted, towards another angle of the wood *. The bird presented the easiest 
possi e shot, and dropped, apparently as dead as a stone, on the open ground at the distance of about five and 
thirty yards ; AAdiile opening the breech to insert another cartridge, my attention was attracted by an exclamation 
lom an attendant, and on looking up the Cock Avas again on Aving and little the Avorse for the mishap 
con mumg the course previously held toAvards the wood. A second time the bird Avas fairly hit and, severai 
feathers bemg left floating doAimward in the air, pitched headlong into a thorn bush at the edge of the covert 
Icfoie entirely disappearing from view it again (as far as we Avere able to judge) recovered and after a 
momentary scufile among the tAvigs and brambles tAvisted off through an opening: betAveen tlm “s of 
tAvo arge oaks and Avas speedily lost to sight. As the beat was just concluded, both shots had been distinctlv 
seen by a couple of keepers who then came up, remarking they had never witnessed the like before. Perfectly 
UA meed that the Cock had eventually escaped, we proceeded at once to take up stations for the next drive when 
1 passing the bush into which the second descent had been made, a slight movement amono. some dead ferns 
AAas observed and on the spot being examined the bird Avas discovered in the last -asp in 1 dense tan-le of 
brambles and rank herbage. There could not be the slightest doubt from the actions of the C I i” i 
this spot that it had been struck by the falling bird the moment after ri.' ^ 
zrrrit:"’ """" " - 
critic could scarcely complain of Avaste of ammunirion. ''''' captious 
During the continuation of the severe snoAv-storm in Januarv Ifin? T hn i • 
couple of hours' shooting (the train had been snowed up and caused a defa 
two couple of Cocks, four couple of Snipe, two brace of*^l>artridl-es a" 1 f ^ i" '‘‘'= 
expended. The Avhole of the marshes Avere deeidv env • i -ui ^ ^ hares: tiventy Ccartridges 
the first couple of Cocks wore flushed from the railwat' hod'"c wl'T' esccodiiigly heav.v ; 
patch of rushes which grew on the open level a mile furthm- inbnd jlsZZl ^ l7’ “'1 T 
seven alight near a few stunted thorn bnslics ■ but havim. to l ■ ^ ^ ^ marked a flock of six or 
a dyke darkness would have set in before the sjot could poslib,; "^b™ M 
and drifted m patches, the frost was not excessively severe, and a few spots being stm ‘ i^rtirilaZ 
- 'MIS .sun-ouiidod on tlii'oc sides by tlie wood inv f i • 
iM me wood, in\ .station bein;? near one of the corners. 
