four hours after the Woodcock was shot, and hearing the
particulars ; but the bird had been dressed»
“Mr. Roger Wilbraham, a great sportsman, living at SwafL
ham, not believing the account, summoned the carpenter
many years afterwards, who confirmed all the circumstances, ■
K The Earl of Leicester also told me, that he, in company
with Mr. Ralph Dutton, when they were young men, followed
a gigantic-looking Woodcock for some hours, near
Holkham, but could not get near him.
“ A Woodcock shot at Audley End about seven years agop
weighed full sixteen ounces, and was much the largest-looking
bird, as well; as the heaviest, I ever s,aw,”
A note in the last edition of Pennant’s 'British Zoology
is as follows :< f‘ I have been'credibly informed that one was
killed near Holywell, which reached the weight of« twenty
ounces;” and in Daniel’s Rural-Sports there is a req'o'rd of
one which weighed seventeen ounces.
Varieties in plumage are not uncommon, generally of a
dull yellowish white.
GLULLAWRLSi SGQLOPACIDJE.
T H E GREAT SNW E .
^Scolopax mnjort Great Sn4pe$ Pfei#. Brit# ZodlNoh iii p. 76?S2.J
,, Mont. £>fnith. Diet.
||| it Bplitary _ Bjwicr; Brit. Biids.aQl.di» p. 51.
Flem. Brit: An. p^"l05. ,, : SeLbV, Brit. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 115.
>» 4 jENyy^Brit. Yert. p..265.,>$ .
,, yy „ J 'Gooed, Birds ofEra^ne, pt. xvii.
'Graiiie B&assWI, TEMM.Man. d’Onli'tltt'vol-. ii. p . 675.
T he Great Snipe was first .described, as a British Bird
bv Pennant, from a specimen killed in Lancashire, preserved
in-the Leverian Mjiscum, and was at that time .considered a
very rare bird; it was, however, probably undistinguished
by many from the Common Snipe, till specific characters and
distinctions among species were closely investigated. I t - is