COMMON SNIPE. I23 



C. B. Simpson saw this method from a hide only four yards 

 away and sent me a sketch. St. John corrected (?) himself 

 after later experience, and said they were held between the 

 thighs, and others have added, kept in position by means of the 

 depressed bill. Mr. Moftat saw the young thus held against the 

 breast, but without any bill support, and Mr. Mackereth saw 

 both bill and feet used. This last bird was attacked by a 

 Sparrow-Hawk, and depositing its burden, led the hawk away 

 for some distance and then threw itself into a terrifying attitude. 

 It lowered its bill, hunched its wings forward, puffed out its 

 feathers, and uttered a "harsh jabbering" note. The hawk 

 retired, and then the Woodcock saw that a man was watching ; 

 it altered its tactics at once, and went tumbling along the ride 

 as if wounded ; then when the supposed human enemy had 

 been lured away, returned to the young. 



Variation in the plumage of Woodcocks is common, but I 

 am unconvinced that British birds are darker and larger than 

 migrants, as is frequently asserted by sportsmen and keepers. 

 The colours are a wonderful combination of black, buff, 

 chestnut, and grey in bars, mottles, and fine wavy lines. The 

 bill is reddish horn, browner at the tip, the legs fleshy, the irides 

 dark brown. There is no difference between the sexes, and 

 young birds can only be distinguished by an expert, and then 

 not always with certainty. Length, 14*5 ins. Wing, 7*5 ins. 

 Tarsus, 1*5 ins. 



Common Snipe. Galli?iago galli?iago (Linn.). 



The breeding. range of the Common Snipe (Plate 51) extends 

 over a great portion of Europe, Asia and north Africa, and in 

 winter it visits Africa and southern Asia. From autumn until 

 spring our resident stock is greatly increased by winter visitors, 

 and there is also a passage migration. The bird is found in 

 suitable localities throughout our islands, but is least abundant 

 in the south. 



