( 282 ■) 



ON "WAIT AND SEK ' PIIOTOGUArilV. 

 Part III. 



BV 



E. L. TURNER, H.IM.B.O.U. 



Perhaps the most interesting birds which came within 

 range of my camera by tlie Holy Island mere were t\\(» 

 Jack Snipe. We had flushed them several times from a 

 certain spot, so on April 1st I ])iit up a tent there. 



The next day one came running past almost as soon 

 as I entered the tent. It was intent upon feeding, 

 rapidly thrusting its bill into the ooze in search of succu- 

 lent morsels. As Jack Snipe are so small, it was some 

 time before I could catch this one in a fairly open spot 

 free from interfering grasses. It seemed rather greedy. 

 At any rate it ate too fast, for by and by it sat in front 

 of me and had a violent attack of hiccoughs. While 

 this fit of indigestion lasted, the bird crouched in a 

 hollow and seemed very ujihappw Having recovered 

 from its temporary indisposition, the Snipe began to 

 run about again in search of more food. It made little 

 short dashes to and fro, frequently heaving its body uj) 

 and down like a Sandpiper. This movement Mas not 

 continuous, but intermittent. 



While following the one bird round A\ith my reflex 

 camera, I suddenly saw a second Jack Snipe sound 

 asleep on a stone about four feet away. The absence of 

 the median line, one of the distinguishhig characteristics 

 of the Jack Snipe, is plamly seen in the sleeping bird. 



Everyone knows that it is not easy to disturb a Jack 

 Snipe. The rattle of my focal-])lane shutter even failed 

 to rouse the sleeper, nor did it alarm the first bird or 

 interrupt his pursuits. Eventually the sleeping bird 

 awoke, roused by a scarcely audible remark of his com- 

 panion. After shaking himself, he stepped doAMi from the 

 stone and began to feed unconcernedly. Fijially, both 

 pattered out of sigb.t. leaving tlie soft nuid h<)n<\vcombed 

 by the innumciablc jnobings of their sensitive bills. 



