Woodcock, or 'snipe of the woods'. The season in England is from 1 October to 31 January while the season in Scotland starts a month earlier on 1 September. It is a very fine, pigeon-sized, game bird which inhabits boggy woodland and which is usually cooked undrawn, with only the gizzard removed, commonly hung for 1-3 days. The trail, or entrails, are considered a great delicacy. When the woodcock is served the trail may be removed from the bird, finely chopped with bacon or foie gras, made into a paste with a little brandy and spread onto fried bread, the woodcock served on top. A woodcock constitutes one portion.
