THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 
19 
weeks old, it requires nearly as much, skill to shoot them on wing as if they 
were much older. At this age they are called stupid by most people ; and, 
in fact, being themselves innocent, and not yet having had much experience, 
they are not sufficiently aware of the danger that may threaten them, when 
a two-legged monster, armed with a gun, makes his appearance. But, reader, 
observe an old cock on such occasions : there he lies, snugly squatted beneath 
the broad leaves of that “ sconk cabbage” or dock. I see its large dark eye 
meeting my glance; the bird shrinks as it were within its usual size, and, in 
a crouching attitude, it shifts with short steps to the other side. The nose 
of the faithful pointer marks the spot, but unless you are well acquainted 
with the ways of Woodcocks, it has every chance of escaping from you 
both, for at this moment it runs off through the grass, reaches a clump of 
bushes, crosses it, and, taking to wing from a place toward which neither 
you nor your dog have been looking, you become flustered, take a bad aim, 
and lose your shot. 
Thousands of persons besides you and myself are fond of Woodcock shoot- 
ing. It is a healthful but at times laborious sport. You well know the 
places where the birds are to be found under any circumstances ; you are 
aware that, if the weather has been for some time dry, you must resort to 
the damp meadows that border the Schuylkill, or some similar place ; that 
should it be sultry, the covered swamps are the spots which you ought to 
visit ; but if it be still lowering after continued rain, the southern sides of 
gentle hills will be found preferable; that if the ground is covered with 
snow, the oozy places visited by the Snipe are as much resorted to by the 
Woodcock; that after long frost, the covered thickets along some meandering 
stream are the places of their retreat; and you are aware that, at all times, it 
is better for you to have a dog of any kind than to go without a dog at all. 
Well, you have started a bird, which with easy flaps flies before you in such 
a way that if you miss it, your companion certainly will not. Should he, 
however, prove as unsuccessful as yourself, you may put up the bird once, 
twice, or thrice in succession, for it will either alight in some clump of low 
trees close by, or plunge into a boggy part of the marsh. As you advance 
towards him, you may chance to put up half a score more, and stupid though 
you should be, you must be a bad shot indeed if you do not bring some one 
of them to the ground. Aye, you have done it, and are improving at the 
sport, and you may be assured that the killing of Woodcocks requires more 
practice than almost any other kind of shooting. The young sportsman 
shoots too quick, or does not shoot at all, in both which cases the game is 
much better pleased than you are yourself. But when once you have 
acquired the necessary coolness and dexterity, you may fire, charge and fire 
