SNIPE 885 



it repeats many times. A few seconds, more or less according to 

 distance, after each of these headlong descents a mysterious sound 

 strikes his ear — compared by some to drumming and by others to 

 the bleating of a sheep or goat,^ which sound evidently comes 

 from the bird as it shoots downwards, and then only ; but how the 

 sound is made is a question on which many persons are still unde- 

 cided. There are those who maintain that it proceeds from the 

 throat, while some declare it is produced by the wings, which 

 sharp -sighted observers say they can see in tremulous motion. 

 Others, again, assert that it is caused by the vibration of the webs 

 of the outer rectrices, and these last have in support of their 

 opinion the fact that a similar sound may be made by affixing those 

 feathers to the end of a rod and drawing them rapidly downwards 

 in the same position as they occupy in the bird's tail while it is 

 performing the feat.^ But, however it be produced, the air will 

 also ring with loud notes that have been syllabled tinker, tinker, 

 tinker, while other notes in a different key, something like djepp, 

 djepp, djepp rapidly uttered, may be heard as if in response. The 

 nest is always on the ground and is a rather deep hollow wrought 

 in a tuft of herbage, and lined with dry grass-leaves. The eggs 

 are four in number, of a dark olive colour, blotched and spotted 

 with rich brown. The young when freshly hatched are beautifully 

 clothed in down of a dark maroon, variegated with black, white 

 and buff. 



The Double or Solitary Snipe of English sportsmen, aS'. major, a 

 larger species, also inhabits northern Europe and may be readily re- 

 cognized by the white bars on its wings and by its 1 6 or occasionally 

 18 rectrices. It has also a very different behaviour. When flushed 

 it rises without alarm -cry, and flies heavily. In the breeding- 

 season much of its love-performance is exhibited on the ground, and 

 the sounds to which it gives rise are of another character ; but the 

 exact way in which its "drumming" is effected has not been ascer- 

 tained. Its gesticulations at this time have been well described by 

 Prof. Collett in a communication to Mr. Dresser's Birds of Europe 

 (vii. pp. 635-637). It visits C4reat Britain every year at the close 

 of summer, but in very small numbers, and is almost always seen 

 singly — not uncommonly in places where no one could expect to 

 find a Snipe. 



^ Hence in many languages tlie Snipe is known by names signifying "Flying 

 Goat," "Heaven's Ram," as in Scotland by " Heather - bleater. " One may 

 almost suspect that the aiyoKi^aXos of the ancients was really this bird, though 

 the applicability of the name would be unknown to any one unacquainted with 

 its breeding habits. 



2 Cf. Meves, CE/vers. K. Vet.-Akad. Fork. 1856, pp. 275-277 (transl. Nav,man. 

 nia, 1858, pp. 116, 117), and Froc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 202, with Wolley'a 

 remarks thereon, and Zool. Garten, 1876, pp. 204-208. 



