76 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



since they serve to blend the body with the surrounding grasses when 

 the bird is crouching to avoid its enemies, which it always does in 

 preference to seeking safety by flight. 



In the spring-time both the males and females spend much of their 

 time in making the very extraordinary sounds known as " bleating." 

 This curious humming noise they produce by mounting high into the 

 air and then descending with tremendous rapidity, meanwhile spreading 

 the tail so that the two outer feathers stand apart from the rest. The 

 rush of the air against these outspread feathers causes the bleating 

 sounds which have puzzled and fascinated so many observers for the 

 last hundred years or so. 



Though this bird breeds in Great Britain, large numbers come 

 over from the Continent every autumn, leaving again in the spring. 



The Common Snipe has only fourteen tail-feathers, but a near re- 

 lative of this species, which is found in North America, is distinguished, 

 among other things, by having sixteen tail-feathers. 



The Jack Snipe (Plate XIV. fig. 9) is also a common British 

 bird, a winter visitor, leaving us in the spring to breed in Northern 

 Europe. Smaller than the Common Snipe, it is further distinguished 

 therefrom by having but twelve tail-feathers and two notches in the 

 hinder margin of its breast-bone. 



Like the Common Snipe, it makes curious noises during the 

 breeding-season ; but these are apparently vocal, and not made by 

 the tail — they are described as resembling the noise made by a 

 horse when galloping on a hard road. 



Yet a third species of Snipe is met with in Great Britain. This is 

 the Great, or Solitary, Snipe (Plate XIV. fig. 10). An annual visitor 

 to the eastern and southern portions of England, it only very 

 rarely occurs in Ireland. The real home of this bird is found in the 

 marshy districts of Poland and in parts of Russia ; but it is to be 

 met with also in Africa and in Asia. It is a larger bird than the 

 Common Snipe, and has relatively shorter beak and legs, and more 

 closely barred under parts. 



Finally we come to the Woodcock (Plate XIV. fig, 8). Larger 

 than any of the Snipes, this bird is further distinguished by its 

 beautifully barred, russet-brown plumage, and the transverse black 

 bar across the top of the head. The Woodcock is increasing in 



