170 British Birds ^ 



sometimes one only ; and, it is said, using her beak 

 sometimes for the same purpose. — Fig. 1, plate IX, 



GREAT '^'m^Y,—{Gallinago major ; formerly, 

 S CO lop ax major). 



Solitary Snipe, Double Snipe. — Often taken, no 

 doubt, by many a sportsman in former days to be a 

 very large specimen of the Common Snipe, than 

 which no bird with which I am well acquainted 

 seems to vary more in size. On the wing it does not 

 look much larger than the Common Snipe, and is 

 seldom seen except alone, or at most two in company. 

 It breeds in high northern localities, and never with 

 us, and no notice, therefore, of its nesting habits is 

 permissible in this place. 



COMMON ^'^lV^—{Gallinago Ccelestis ; formerly, 

 Scolopax gallinagd). 



Whole Snipe, Suite, Heather-bleater. — Although 

 this snipe, like the Woodcock, retires to northern 

 latitudes to breed, yet there are few districts in 

 Britain suitable to its habits in which it is not known 

 to breed in greater or less numbers. And it is a bird, 

 moreover, which is quite sure to make it very dis- 

 tinctly known that it has a nest and eggs somewhere 

 near, if only any human visitor appears on the scene. 

 I refer to the very peculiar note or sound emitted by 

 the male, always while he is on the wing high in the 

 air, and always accompanied with a very remarkable 

 action of his wings and curving descent in his flight. 

 This sound or note — for it is not absolutely certain, I 



