COMMON SNIPE. 221 



of the Eibble and Hodder, and on the lower parts of the 

 moors boundmg them — for its nest is seldom seen so 

 high as 1,000 feet above the sea — it breeds commonl}-, 

 as is also the case on the higher reaches of the Wyre. 

 It is a well-known resident, too, in Furness. The late 

 Rev. J. D. Banister wrote in his journal that in the 

 neighbourhood of Pilling the migrating flocks arrive in 

 great numbers in October, but do not remain long, and 

 appear to go southwards ; and in 1872 Mr. Hugh P. 

 Hornby says {ZooL, March, 1873) that more Snipes 

 appeared at St. Michael's-on-Wyre than had been known 

 for many years, and so early as the third week in July ; 

 about 260 being shot before the flocks took their de- 

 parture at the end of October. Snipe are alwaj^s most 

 numerous in wet seasons, and when frost sets in the 

 marshes are deserted for the small brooks and ditches. 

 This species is double-brooded, and is an early breeder ; 

 the first lot of four eggs being laid the last week of 

 March or early in April, usually on a slight elevation in 

 damp situations, and in the least possible nest. Mr. 

 T. Altham tells me that he once put three Lapwing's 

 eggs into a Snipe's nest, substituting them for its own, 

 and that they were duly hatched, but the young were 

 promptly deserted. The Snipe is one of the earliest 

 risers in the morning, and may often be heard drumming 

 before day-break, but this is more generall}' indulged 

 in towards evening, and in fine weather so early in the 

 3"ear as January. Its once discredited habit of occa- 

 sionally perching on trees has now l)een noticed by 

 many observers. Of the varieties of this species, Mr. 

 Hugh P. Hornby {ZooL, December, 1873) records having 

 shot " a redder-plumaged specimen than usual," and 

 several examples of the melanic form, once accorded 

 specific honours as Sabine's Snipe {Scol(>2>ax saJn)iii,. 



