88 INDIAN SPORTING BIRDS 



field or by natural cover, and it likes wet ground, but must 

 have shelter as well, so that its attachment to certain spots is 

 easily explained. Although, on its breeding-grounds, it some- 

 how, in its nuptial flights, produces a great noise which is 

 compared to the traditional '''ammer 'ammer, 'ammer, on the 

 'ard 'igh road " of a horse's hoofs, it does not give itself away by 

 any note when rising, and its flight, if only by the mere fact 

 that it is so different from that of other snipe, puzzles many 

 people very much, though others say it is hard to hit. As Mr. 

 Baker says : " Hume says that it is probably one of the easiest 

 birds in the world to shoot if you reserve your fire till the 

 proper moment, but I must personally confess that I have 

 never yet quite made up my mind as to which this proper 

 moment is !" But as to the jack's superior excellence on the 

 table everybody seems agreed it is a case of " little and good " 

 here, as it so often is in more important matters. Fortu- 

 nately the bird, when flushed again and again, still adheres ta 

 its policy of lying close and not running, and so gives several 

 chances. Dogs also mark it easily, on account of its unusually 

 strong scent. As the food of this snipe includes grass-seeds and 

 even a little grass itself, although chiefly consisting of the small 

 forms of animal life eaten by snipe in general, it may fairly claim 

 to be original in this respect also. It is worth mentioning that 

 it is almost the champion egg layer of the bird world, for though 

 the number is only the usual four, the eggs themselves are nearly 

 as big as the common snipe's, and might easily be mistaken for 

 them except for being less bulky. 



Besides the native name quoted at the head of the article, 

 others in use are Ohn in Tamil and Daodidap gajiha in Cachari. 



Wood-Si\ipc. 



Gallinago yiemoricola. Ban-chalia, Nepalese. 



The wood-snipe is a very perfect connecting link between 

 the typical snipes and those few members of the group which 

 are dignified by the title of woodcocks; in style of flight, in the 

 dark colour of its plumage, and especially in the dark transverse 

 bars all over the lower parts of the body, it is a true woodcock. 



