56 BIRD WATCHING 



in order to alight upon it in a manner quite different 

 to the oblique downward-shooting sweeps, with wings 

 extended, whether vibrating or not, as practised in 

 ordinary nuptial flight. There are three ways, possibly 

 more; but three I have seen. In the first the bird 

 shoots gracefully down, with the wings pressed to the 

 sides, as already described. In the second the wings 

 are raised straight, or almost straight, above the back, 

 and this gives, perhaps, a still more graceful appear- 

 ance. The third way is not nearly so usual a one as 

 the other two — in fact, I only recall having seen it 

 once. In this the wings are but half spread (whilst 

 held in the ordinary manner) and motionless, and the 

 bird descends in several sweeps to one side or the 

 other, something after the manner in which a kite 

 comes to the ground. No sound attends any of these 

 forms of descent. 



The cry of the snipe which I have alluded to, is 

 of a curious nature, something like the word " chack- 

 wood, chack-wood, chack-wood, chack-wood," con- 

 stantly repeated, and having a regular rise and fall 

 in it, which is why I call it a " see-saw note." Some- 

 times, when the bird is a little way off, it sounds very 

 much like a swishing of the wings ; but when these 

 are really swished, as they often are — purposely, I 

 believe, and as a nuptial performance — the difference 

 is at once apparent. " Two snipes will often fly 

 chasing each other, uttering this note, and making 

 from time to time the loud swishing with the wings. 

 Often, too, there will be a short, harsh cry — harsh, but 

 with that wild, loved harshness that lives in the notes 



it in a most noticeable manner, making — or looking like — two little 

 curved tufts. They are not seen before, which seems to me strong 

 evidence. The tail itself is fanned. 



