Common Snipe 95 



Later in tlic day. I came back to the same marsh, and the 

 Snipe were there again, and nearly as numerous as in the morning. 

 All that I shot were in first-rate condition, showing clearly enough 

 that hard weather is in itself not a source of injury to the Snipe, 

 provided only they can get food. If the food is there, however 

 severe the cold and low temperature, Snipe will exist without 

 difficult}- and even put on weight. 



Snipe are most commonly flushed singly, more rarely in twos 

 and threes ; but you may on occasion meet with them in large wisps, 

 and this most generally occurs in wet, stormy weather with a 

 moderately high temperature. Half a gale from the S.W. with 

 heav\' rain often causes them to flock in this way. They are then 

 exceedingly wild and unapproachable, as far as my experience goes, 

 and any attempt at shooting on such a day commonly results in a 

 very light bag. 



The largest number of Snipe I ever saw together was towards 

 the end of October, igoo, on the Thorpe Fen. The weather was 

 mild at the time, with a fairly strong S.W. wind and rain. As I 

 stepped on to the Fen, and before I had fired a shot, a flock of at 

 least 50 rose from the bare grass towards the S.E. corner, " sceaping " 

 wildly and circling high up in the air. After one or two turns over 

 the Fen, they all flew off in the direction of the Aldborough River, 

 more than two miles off at its nearest point. The alarm thev raised 

 caused four or five more flocks to get up from the same spot — flocks 

 consisting of six to eighteen — and these, too. with much commotion, 

 joined the main bodv and made off in the same direction. 



\Mien I subsequently walked over the Fen I only got three 

 Snipe, and I believe I shot all I flushed. 



I think these particular birds were migrants just arri\^ed. but 

 that was a mere chance. The flocking was due to the atmospheric 

 conditions, and not to the fact of their being foreigners newly- 

 arrived. 



There is one other peculiar habit which Snipe have in the 

 winter. The}* feed by night and sleep or rest by day ; but at dusk 

 thev alwa\s take an aerial excursion before settling down to the 

 serious business of the night. These flights last for some time — 

 perhaps half an hour — when every Snipe on the marsh seems to be 

 on the wing at once, their calls sounding in every direction. \\'ith 

 a full moon, these flights are continued somewhat longer than on 

 a dark night, but the hour of rising is curiously regular and 

 certain. 



\Mien standing on the marshes for duck-flighting, as the dusk 

 comes on, on a winter's evening, one hears night after night the same 

 sequence of sounds. First, the Partridges " chissicking " their last 

 song as they settle down for the night ; a little later, the wail of the 

 Lapwings as they come in from the uplands, where they have been 

 feeding all day, to roost on the marsh at night. Later still, when 

 both these are silent, and there is hardly any light left, the Snipe 



