BRITISH BIRDS, 
65 
pale afli, with frequent bars of a very delicate ru- 
fous : tail brown, tipped with white ; and the 
bill and legs flefh colour. In addition to thefe, 
fome other varieties are taken notice of by the late 
Marmaduke Tunftall, Efq. of Wycliffe, in his in- 
terleaved books on ornithology. 
* Latham and Pennant alfert, that fome Wood- 
cocks deviate from the courfe which nature feems 
to have taught their fpecies, by remaining through- 
out the year, and breeding in this country; and 
this aflertion Mr Tunftall corroborates by fuch a 
number of well-authenticated inftances, that the 
fad is unqueftionabki 
When the Woodcock is purfued by the fports- 
man, its flight is very rapid, but fliort, as it drops 
behind the firft fuitable flieltering coppice with great 
fuddennefs, and in order to elude difcovery, runs 
fwiftly off, in queft of fome place wh^re it may hide 
itfelf in greater fecurity. 
To defcribe the various methods which are prac- 
tifed by fowlers to catch this bird, would be tedi- 
ous ; but it may not be improper to notice thofe 
moft commonly in ufe, and againft which it does 
not feem to be equally, on its guard as againft the 
gun. It is eafily caught in the nets, traps, and 
fpringes which are placed in its accuftomed runs or 
paths, as its fufpicions are all lulled into fecurity 
by the filence of the night ; and it will not fly 
or leap over any obftacles which are placed in its 
VoLlI.t I 
