And afterwards he adds 'nidificat in paludibus alpinis: ova
ponit, 3-5.' It does not appear from Kramer that woodcocks breed
at all in Austria: but he says 'Avis haec septentrionalium
provinciarum aestivo tempore incola est; ubi plerumque nidificat.
Appropinquante hyeme australiores provincias petit: hinc circa
plenilunium mensis Octobris plerumque Austriam transmigrat.
Tunc rursus circa plenilunium potissimum mensis Martii per
Austriam matrimonio juncta ad septentrionales provincias redit. '
For the whole passage (which I have abridged) see Elenchus, etc.,
p. 351. This seems to be a full proof of the migration of
woodcocks; though little is proved concerning the place of
breeding.
P.S. There fell in the county of Rutland, in three weeks of this
present very wet weather, seven inches and an half of rain, which is
more than has fallen in any three weeks for these thirty years past
in that part of the world. A mean quantity in that county one year is
twenty inches and an half.
Letter IX
To The Honourable Daines Barrington
Fyfield, near Andover, Feb.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225