The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-13
MOST TINE FOR VOOD(OCk.
The Hens Due In Few Days, Male Birds
Not for Month or So.

LAcHINE, Canada, Sept s,-One Of the
most secretive of living things is a wood
cock in the summer season. Its spring
nesting places are fairly we'll known That
the parents are assiduous in the care Of
their young oncs-who somehow give one
the impression Of having their heads stuck
on wrong end to--is also established But
no sooner do the little wings become useful
and the spikelke bills harden than the
whole family makes moonlight fitting
and disappears,
Observers mp amid the swamps and
muskegs of the far North, near where the
rivers running into Hudson's Bay take
their rise, occasionally get a glimpse of
the birds during their time Of retreat
which extends from about the third week
of July until the waning of the September
moon.
Woodcocl are intensely correct in q
good old fashioned WY. At mn early
age the sexes are separated and kept strictly
apart When the birds approach maturity
and assume handsome attire the females
are sent away south by themselves. They
reach latitude As commonly by Sept 49,
and woodcock shooting begins.
Sportsmen will find that nearly all of
these first arrivals are hens.
On some midOctober night tn" male
birds arrive Like the females they dis
like travelling in a mob and are usually
found in bands of three or four. II one
disappears and birds and beasts Of prey
and shooting men are constantly trying
to reduce their numbers anot her is invited
to Join the choice little company, for they
generally manage to keep up the full COM
plement of their mess.
They are always hard to shoot. owing
to the manner Of their flushing. which IL
by nuic,, straight upward rush and
succession of dartings in different direc-
tiora Tho writer found that he met with
most success. when shooting over an asth-
NAUTICAL old spaniel which waddlcd along
never more than n few yards in front OF
the gun
With lively young pointer or setter
very few birds will 10 secured. owing TO
the surprisingly rapid manner in "hich they
rise a Il 9 nierest Suspicion Of din9er
Il don't understand it. but I am always
satisfied with my gun until | get after
woodcock. II is never quick enough,
and never distributes its loads rs evenly
az it should then. one hunter declared.
There often is something he matter with
the gun or gunner, or some of the sur
roundings. when after these little birds
of mystery.
Old men who know their habits smile at
the alarming rumors so common now
about the dest ruction and disappearance
of the whole race Of woodcocks. The
simple fact is that these odd hut greatly
fancied birds have a fashion Of becoming
scarce even Of absolutely disappearing
from their abodes at times.
Probably the reason is to I've sought in
the food supply about the source or ma
terial of which no one seems TO he able to
particuIarize strictly. II is at least not
unlikely that the peculiar microscopic
organisms which woodcocks procure from
under ground through their long bills be-
come scarce after while, and that supplies
of these are replcnished only after years
of rest and change
The birds have been known to reappear
suddenly in oldtime force Of numbers
in districts long deserted by them. From
several places where their absence has
been bewailed they are reported to have
nested last spring, and many broods have
been sighted in the North during the sum-
mer.
Owing to their habits there is not much
danger of annihilating them unless they
are systematically poached out Of season,
and that il not easily accomplished.