THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
1910-1911. 1911-1912. 
Wt. 
Date 
Place 
in 
Weather 
ozs. 
Nov. 8 
Gissing 
loi 
Lovely day, warm. 
,, 9 
Thelveton .... 
m 
Lovely day aft. frost 
.. 11 
Gissing 
12 
Fine after wet night, 
mild. 
,, 18 
Thelveton .... 
9^ 
) Rough weather, 
,, 18 
>> .... 
lllington 
llj 
> gale and rain, mild. 
Dec. 3 
lot 
T Very dull, dark 
,> 3 
» » 
12i 
all day; low covert, 
„ 3 
,, 
12 
^flooded two days 
3 
12 
before we shot ; 
3 
M 
lU 
J very mild. 
M 5 
Billingford .... 
101 
Fine, strong wind, 
S.W. 
„ 28 
Burston 
m 
Fine after frost. 
M 29 
Westbrook Green 
111 
) 
„ 29 
12 
[Fine, still and 
29 
) f 
m 
1 mild. 
.. 29 
12 
1 
Jan. 3 
Thelveton .... 
121 
) 
.. 3 
99 .... 
Frenze 
13 
1 Fine, breeze, mild. 
„ 5 
111 
,, 14 
Stanhoe 
13 
) 
14 
M 
13 
1 Fine, open weather 
.. 14 
Blllin^ford .... 
Thelveton .... 
12t 
,, 17 
.. 27 
141 
Ilf 
1 Lovely, mild. 
„ 28 
„ 28 
„ 28 
GIssing 
M 
9 9 
IlUngton 
llt 
101 
111 
iQuite hot and 
j lovely. 
., 30 
lot 
) Lovely day, cold 
„ 30 
Feb. 1 
13 
1 wind, N.E. 
Thelveton .... 
12| 
Lovely day, mild. 
30 Woodcocks, 11'83 average. 
Wt. 
Date 
Place 
in 
Weather 
ozs. 
Oct. 
11 
Tivetshall . 
lOf 
Lovely day, hot. 
19 
Gissing . . 
m 
Wet and cold. 
» > 
28 
Illington . . 
13i 
) 
31 
Billingford . 
9 
f Lovely day, warm. 
31 
12 
i 
Nov. 
1 
Gissing . . 
lOi 
> Weatheropen,both 
9 9 
2 
Frenze . . 
lOf 
/birds shot out in 
the open. 
10 
Illington ■ . 
lU 
) Rain, afterwards 
10 
lOf 
i fine, mild. 
15 
Frenze • • 
12f 
Fine, mild and open 
17 
Gissing . . 
12 
Wet and mild. 
1 9 
Jan. 
24 
Thelveton . 
lOf 
Mild, shot in open. 
1 
Gissing . . 
lU 
1 
1 
lU 
1 Mild,openweather, 
1 
12f 
1 rather foggy. 
1 
1 1 • ■ 
13f 
J 
9 
Thelveton . 
13i 
)Fine after snow 
9 
Illington ■ . 
14i 
/ and rain. 
13 
12 
) Fine and warm 
13 
12f 
( after rain. 
15 
Stanhoe ■ ■ 
13 
)Cold N.E. wind 
15 
12 
/and frost. 
17 
It • * 
Gissing . . 
12 
Colder and gale. 
23 
12f 
23 
Ilf 
• Fineday,quiteopen 
23 
It 
Ilf 
24 
Westbrook Green 
11 
Fine, mild. 
1 ) 
27 
27 
Illington ■ . 
lOf 
12i 
j- Frosty and fine. 
It 
29 
Thorpe . . 
Hard frost. 
30 Woodcocks, 11*80 average. 
Flight , — ^The feeding-grounds are often situated a long way from the 
coverts specially favoured by woodcocks, and shortly before dusk the 
birds may be seen leaving the wood singly, but always by the same route, 
and flying swiftly to their marshy destination. On rising from their “ seat ” 
in the wood they make for the nearest glade or ride, flying low until they 
reach the open, when they shoot up to a height of twenty or thirty feet, 
and travel at a great pace straight to the feeding -ground. Personally, 
I have never seen them leaving the marshes at dawn, but in doing so 
they are said to wheel round for a short time, often making a peculiar call ; 
then, after mounting to a considerable height, they take a direct line for 
the covert in which they have found a temporary resting-place. 
As might be expected from the shape of the wings and the great develop- 
ment of the pectoral muscles, the woodcock is capable of very rapid and 
protracted flight ; and one can hardly believe that the birds one sees 
in the spring and early summer flapping slowly through the air when 
234 
