A BIRD-STORY.
[TO TEM EDITOR OF 151 eviersvos.."] , SIR,—The rarity of woodcock-breeding in England may possibly make the following instance worthy of mention. Last Sunday, when sitting in the garden of Mr. Harvey Goodwin, on Arnside Knott, Westmorland, only about twenty yards from the house, we were attracted by a move- ment in the grass, which was found to be caused by no lees than five young woodcocks, which had struggled through a hole in the wall from the Knott into the garden. At a slight movement they all retreated on to the Knott the way they came, except one which missed the hole, and ran " cheeping" right round the garden, where it was shortly afterwards captured and returned to its brothers on the fell side. It was found to be a fine young woodcock, about three weeks old, the tail feathers being not yet grown. The place where the brood was found is half a mile from the shores of Morecambe Bay, and the country folk testify to constantly seeing the woodcocks carrying their young to water by its shores. Per- haps some of your readers may be able to say whether this is a known fact of woodcocks, or merely a rustic myth P—I am,
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