FOR CAGES AND AVIARIES. 185 



It is one of the "sea rovers" and mostly lives by 

 robbing other and more industrious Gulls ; it is rather 

 rare and occurs in the north only. The eggs are but 

 two in number and are laid in June ; the nest is built of 

 heath, lichens, etc., and is placed in the most inaccessible 

 spot the birds can discover among the cliffs. 



The general colour is reddish-brown, darker on the 

 upper than on the under surface ; the breast has a greyish 

 tinge and there is a spot of white on the wing. Legs, 

 feet and bill dark bluish brown. See also Gulls. 



THE SKYLARK. See under Larks. 



THE SMEW. See wider Ducks. 



SNIPE. 



The Common Snipe. 



Like the Woodcock, the Snipe is a winter visitor to this 

 country, where it is equally appreciated with its larger 

 relative, as an article of food by epicures. Occasionally, 

 too, it breeds here, and it would no doubt do so much 

 more frequently were it not so habitually disturbed, the 

 sight of a Snipe upon the wing, in or out of "season," 

 having the same effect upon an average man or boy, with 

 a gun in hand, as a crimson or red handkerchief has 

 on the proverbial bull. 



The female Snipe is larger than the male, weighing 

 4^ ounces to his 4 ounces. Albino and cinnamon or 

 buff-coloured species have been recorded. 



Like the Woodcock, a pair of Snipe will sometimes 

 breed in a well-appointed aviary, the bulk of the diet of 

 both species consisting of earth-w^orms. 



A smaller kind, supposed to be a distinct species, is 



