VOL. VI.] " DRUMMING " OF SNIPE. 357 



(2) That exceptionally it may be observed at other 

 seasons, but never at any season except within the 

 breeding-range of the species. 



(3) That out of season " drumming " is the irregular 

 performance of an exceptional individual, and probably 

 better regarded as arising from some pseudo-erotic 

 impulse or as the expression of some unusual excitement 

 than as analogous to the regular winter-song of certain 

 well-known Passerine birds. 



(4) That the exceptionally easy conditions of existence 

 experienced by Snipe spending very mild winters in 

 our Islands are conducive to an unusually early revival 

 of sexual activity accompanied by " drumming " and 

 probably also early breeding. 



One further remark with reference to " winter-song." 

 Although considering the analogy between it and out-of- 

 season " drumming " is not a good one, I would like to 

 draw attention to the rather pecuHar relationship which 

 both performances seem to bear to the breeding-ranges of 

 the respective species. Supposing we take the list of well- 

 known songsters of the British Islands given concisely 

 in the Messrs. Alexanders' list {Brit. Birds, Vol. I., pp. 367 

 et seq.), one cannot fail to notice that among all those 

 recorded as singing regularly in winter-time there is not 

 one species that has not its representation of " resident " 

 individuals (or perhaps even races) in the British Islands 

 in winter. Three of the best known and most persistent 

 winter-singing species, viz. Robin, Hedge-Sparrow, and 

 Wren, are almost certainly composed entirely of resident 

 individuals, since the Continental races of the two first 

 species probably do not winter in Great Britain, or if 

 they do, not in appreciable numbers. Another prominent 

 winter-singer, the Song-Thrush, is represented in our 

 Islands in winter b}^ two races, one mainly resident 

 (T. p. clarkei) the other {T. p. pJiilomehis) only a winter- 

 visitor. We are not informed at present as to whether 

 the winter-songsters are resident or wintering individuals 



