a 
18 COMMON SNIPE. 
Towards the end of March, or beginning of April, the 
male bird begins to call for a mate. 
The nest is commonly placed in the middle of a tuft of 
grass, rushes, or heather, in a shallow depression in the surface; 
by the side of water, as also among the heather where watery 
spots abound, on the hill side, often at an elevation of from 
five hundred to a thousand feet above the level of the plain. 
A few chance stalks furnish its lining, if any be provided 
at all, which is not always the case. 
The eggs are four in number, and of a very large size 
in proportion to that of the bird; their colour is pale yellowish, 
or greenish white, blotted at the larger end with two or 
three shades of brown. Some are spotted all over with small 
spots; some are of aclear green ground, some light blue, and 
others olive brown. Six eggs have several times been found 
in one nest, as mentioned by the Rev. G. Low, in his ‘Fauna 
Oreadensis;’ but they doubtless must have been the joimt 
contribution of two birds. 
The young leave the nest as soon as hatched, and are taken 
eare of by their parents till able to provide for themselves. 
They are usually able to fly before the middle of July, but 
in some seasons not till the middle of August. 
Male; weight, about four ounces; length, from ten and 2 
half or eleven inches and a half, to nearly one foot; the 
bill, which is at first tender, but becomes harder in fully 
adult birds; is in the latter of very elegant appearance, three 
inches m length, long and slender; the lower mandible fits 
at the tip into the upper one, which somewhat projects over 
it: the latter is rugose on the surface at the same part. It 
is of a dark brown colour, dusky at the point, pale reddish 
or yellowish brown at the base. From it a dark brown streak 
runs to the eye; over it and over the eye a pale brown or | 
light ferruginous one. Iris, dusky or dark brown. Head on 
the sides, spotted with dusky grey, and tinged in winter 
with ferruginous brown; on the crown, very dark brown, 
streaked along the centre with whitish or light yellowish 
chesnut brown. Neck on the sides and in the front, pale 
brown, spotted in a streak with a darker shade. Chin and 
throat, white, or nearly white; breast on the upper part, pale 
yellowish or ferruginous brown, spotted with dusky grey; 
below white; on the sides, greyish white, barred with dusky 
black, or dark brown. Back, dark velvet blackish brown, 
