AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
255 
for the platter; but system in shooting is so little regarded 
in this country, that no season is considered propitious, 
except that in which the rapacious shooter may fill his un- 
satisfied game-bag. No respect is paid by many, even to 
the period of incubation, when the bird, being so intent 
either to its mate, or the performance of parental duties, 
may be approached within a few feet, and thus become 
the victim to an unfeeling destroyer. The bird, at this 
time, if driven from the ground, will fly but a few yards 
and settle again ; or if towards the close of day, will 
ascend into the air, and after performing a few certain 
flights, uttering some musical notes the whole time, will 
descend within a few feet of the spot from which it sprang. 
When on the ground, it has a note peculiar to itself, and 
is never heard before twilight, but at all hours during the 
night, and is very much like the sound produced by blow- 
ing one of those small trumpets, with which most are ac- 
quainted. The latter action of the bird is sure evidence 
that the pairing time has arrived, and is performed most- 
ly by the male bird, while the female is attending to her 
more sacred rites. 
After the 1st of February, no woodcock should be kill- 
ed, for in mild seasons they begin to pair and lay during 
that month, and there are no birds which produce their 
young so soon as these. In several instances, the author 
has found by the middle of February the ovaria so large, 
as to require but few more days to produce the perfect 
egg. The young birds have also been found capable of 
flying in the early part of April. There are other reasons 
why they should not be killed so late in the season, and 
these are, the poverty and unflavoured state of the flesh. 
Woodcocks feed altogether on worms and insects, which, 
being either destroyed or driven into the earth by rigor- 
ous weather, little or no means are furnished for their 
subsistence; hence, when they make their appearance to 
the north in February, they have just commenced their 
migrations from the south, and before the earth-worm, 
(which is their favourite food,) can be obtained in suffi- 
cient quantities to create fatness, incubation is progress- 
ing, and of course the consequent poverty of the parent 
bird succeeds. After this is experienced, they do not re- 
cover from the effects until their progeny is reared, or 
until autumn approaches; the old and young are alike 
miserable, poor and covered with vermin. The fact then 
may be established, that the only proper time for shoot- 
ing woodcocks, is either in the fall, or, if you choose, 
from September until the 1st of February. 
I would advise you not to hunt at the commencement 
of the season; this, you know, generally commences in 
July. In New-Jersey it is established by law on the 5th. 
The above reasons alone should deter you from it, and if 
they are not sufficient, others may be adduced which 
should satisfy you; these are, first, the successive hot 
weather during the months of July and August; and again, 
the impossibility of preserving longer than a few hours the 
birds you may have killed. Shooting, if well followed, 
is laborious work under the best circumstances; but, to 
pursue woodcocks under a scorching sun, through all of 
those different places which are frequented by them, re- 
quires effort and energy, which can only be sustained in 
a cool and bracing atmosphere for any length of time, is 
laborious and fatiguing beyond conception, and is often 
productive of a fevered system, great lassitude, and fre- 
quently sickness. At this period, too, your efforts are 
seldom rewarded by a proportionable quantity of game, 
and, that which you have procured, should you perse- 
vere through the day in hunting, will, no doubt, be spoil- 
ed and useless ere you get home. Should you, however, 
after all, he disposed to pursue the sport during these 
months, I would advise you to start very early in the 
morning, and retire to some house, or shady retreat, about 
eleven o’clock, where you should remain until three or 
four o’clock in the afternoon. The interval, at any rate, 
is an unpropitious time for shooting any description of 
game, particularly woodcocks, as the influence of the light 
and heat will drive them into the most shady and retired 
parts of the swamps, or cause them to be two-fold more 
tenacious of their resting places. The latter part of 
the afternoon, especially towards the close of day, 
is the best time for hunting. Should you then be beat- 
ing a meadow in the vicinity of a swampy thicket, you 
must approach the edges of the latter, where the birds are 
most likely to be. 
In hunting woodcocks, you cannot beat the ground too 
well; above all, proceed only at a very moderate rate, 
pausing every few steps for a moment or two, which I 
have found often causes the birds to spring, when con- 
stant progress would tend to keep them quiet. During 
these months, (July, August, and September,) the birds 
are scattered over all parts of the northern country, unless 
the season should be uncommonly dry. Woodcocks do 
not like much water, and constant rains will drive them 
from the low lands; but moist grounds of a loamy nature 
are places of their most favourite resort. In meadows of 
this bottom where cattle have been grazing, you will most- 
ly find some of these birds. The grass in such places is 
generally of sufficient height to afford them shelter, while 
the tracks and spots made bare by the trampling of the 
cattle, enables them to penetrate the earth with their bills. 
Swamps or woods, with bottoms also of this kind, espe- 
cially if covered with alder bushes or maple trees, are 
good places for hunting these birds; but into whatever 
