COMMON SNIPE. 371 



feathers, are sometimes, but in this country very seldom, met 

 with. The colour of the feet varies. 



Changes of Plumage. — There is no remarkable differ- 

 ence between the summer and winter plumage, the latter 

 when fresh being as richly coloured as the former. Toward 

 the end of summer the colours are greatly faded, the wings 

 have lost their purple gloss, and the reddish tints are much 

 paler. 



Habits. — Beautiful are those green woods that hang 

 upon the craggy sides of the fern-clad hills, where the 

 heath-fowl threads its way among the tufts of brown heath, 

 and the Cuckoo sings his ever-pleasing notes as he balances 

 himself on the grey stone, vibrating his fan-like tail. Now 

 I listen to the simple song of the mountain Blackbird, 

 warbled by the quiet lake that spreads its glittering bosom 

 to the sun, winding far away among the mountains, amid 

 whose rocky glens wander the wild deer, tossing their 

 antlered heads on high as they snuff the breeze tainted with 

 the odour of the slow-paced shepherd and his faithful dog. 

 Inj that recess formed by two moss-clad slabs of mica-slate, 

 the lively Wren jerks up its little tail, and chits its merry 

 note, as it recalls its straggling young ones that have wan- 

 dered among the bushes. From the sedgy slope, sprinkled 

 with white cotton-grass, comes the shrill cry of the solitary 

 Curlew ; and there, high over the heath, wings his mean- 

 dering way the joyous Snipe, giddy with excess of unalloyed 

 happiness. 



There another has sprung from among the yellow-flowered 

 marigolds that profusely cover the marsh. Upwards slant- 

 ingly, on rapidly vibrating wings, he shoots, uttering the 

 while his shrill two-noted cry. Tissick, tissick, quoth the 

 Snipe, as he leaves the bog. Now in silence he wends his 

 way, until at length having reached the height of perhaps a 

 thousand feet, he zigzags along, emitting- a louder and 

 shriller cry of zoo-zee, zoo-zee, zoo-zee ; which over, varying 

 his action, he descends on quivering pinions, curving toward 

 the earth with surprising speed, while from the rapid beats 



