166 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



remained hidden, and we thought she had gone there to 

 shelter, but presently she emerged from her obscurity, 

 and following her closely were two small chicks. By com- 

 parison with the green grass these little people appeared 

 almost black, so dark was their downy plumage. Their 

 mother realised that danger was near, for she led them 

 quickly away, but never turned to see whether her children 

 were following her. They kept their position close behind 

 her, although the pace for them was a quick one, and they 

 were soon lost to sight behind a ridge. One realised how 

 wonderfully obedient the chicks were : they were left 

 in the rushes at the approach of danger, their mother 

 having evidently enjoined them to remain concealed and 

 without movement until she returned for them. A little 

 later on we again came upon the family party : they were 

 feeding in a grass-covered ditch, and at our approach the 

 parent rose and flew off as though she had no young near. 

 Once she soared characteristically, dipping until she had 

 almost touched the ground before she moved her wings 

 to drive her forward. 



Although eminent authorities have stated that a Snipe 

 with a brood by her feigns lameness to distract attention, 

 I have never found this to be the case, the bird invari- 

 ably flying off as she does when sitting on her eggs. The 

 young Snipe have the bill long almost from the first. 

 They are clad in down of a dark brownish red colour, 

 and are spotted with dusky brown about the head and 

 on their upper parts. 



Although the Snipe is generally distributed throughout 

 the glens of the Highlands; it is rarely found nesting at 

 high altitudes. In the Forest of Gaick, where the eggs are 

 not infrequently taken by blackheaded gulls, it breeds 

 plentifully at an altitude of 1500 feet above sea-level, and 

 it also nests near Loch Eunach, among the Cairngorms, at 

 a height of close on 2000 feet. During the winter months 



