[ 3°9 ] 
daring the fummer, but alfo breed in large tradts of 
wood or bog, without being observed, 
In the other parts of Europe, all birds aim oft are 
confidered as game, or, at lead, are eaten as whole- 
fome food, Ray therefore mentions, that hawks and 
owls are fold by the poulterers at Rome; every fort 
of fmail bird alfo is equally the foreign fowler’s ob- 
jeft*. 
An Englishman does not ■ condder, on the other 
hand, perhaps twelve kinds of birds worthy his at- - 
tention, or expence of powder, none of which are 
ever fhot in our woods during the fummer, nor 
are birds then difturbed. by felling either coppice or. 
timber. 
But it will be faid, why. are not woodcocks fame-- 
times feen, however, as they may be fuppofed to 
leave their cover in fedrch of food ? 
To this I anfwer, that woodcocks deep always in 
the daytime, whilft with us. in the winter, and feed 
only during the night -j-. Whenever a woodcock, 
therefore, is flufhed, he is roufed from his deep by the 
fpaniel or fportfman, and then takes wing,, bee aide 
there are no leaves on the trees to conceal the bird. 
Whoever hath looked attentively at a woodcock’s 
eye, nun! fee that, from the appearance of it, the 
* In one of Boccace-V Novel?, a lever, who lives- at Florence, 
drt'Jes a falcon for the dinner of his miftrifs. Gmrna a V. 
Novel. IX. 
f Ahnolt all the wild fowl of the duck kind alfo fleep in the 
daytime,, and feed at nigh r , . 
