28 Coward, Faunal Survey of RostJierne Mere, 



have seen it most frequently during the spring passage, in 

 March and April, but in 191 3 there was one on the sand 

 at the edge of the mere on July 27th. 



At almost any 

 Numenius arquata arquata (Linnaeus), season of the 



year Curlews 

 may be heard and seen passing over the mere ; the birds 

 when in flight no doubt see the gleam of the water and 

 are attracted in the hope of food. In spite of this fact, 

 however, it is seldom that they alight or remain long 

 when they do ; they are, however, quick to see when any- 

 one is about, and probably stay longer when the coast is 

 clear. Probably the birds seen in March and April are 

 passage migrants or residents going up to the Pennine 

 hills, and those in August on the return passage, but it is 

 hard to understand why individuals should pass in June 

 and early July unless the moorland birds take occasional 

 flights to the Mersey or Dee estuaries for food during the 

 time that they are occupied with young. 



The Common 

 Gallinago gallinago gallinago (Linnaeus). Snipe is a 



fairly abund- 

 ant resident, nesting in some numbers in the Gale Bog 

 and the withy beds. From early March onwards its 

 drumming call is to be heard every evening and often 

 during the day. In the autumn the numbers of the 

 resident birds are increased by immigrants, and there 

 is often a second and large invasion in November or 

 December. 



The Jack Snipe is 

 Livinocryptes gallinnla (Linnaeus), a winter visitor, 



but is never in 

 such large numbers as the Common Snipe ; it frequents 

 the same boggy spots. 



