460 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



all beyond a doubt, Harvie-Brown shot 

 one in this peculiar position." 



Another habit of this Snipe, and one 

 which, in a modified form, seems common 

 to all the Snipes, is that of " drumming " or 

 " bleating " at the breeding season. One 

 sound produced by the Snipe is un- 

 doubtedly vocal, the other is produced by 

 the action of the wings or tail, or of both 

 combined. Opinions are much divided 

 with regard to the mode in which these 

 sounds are produced, and many theories 

 have been propounded. Of all the ac- 

 counts I have read, the one which seems 

 to me to be the most complete in all 

 respects has been given us by Mr. F. Boyes, 

 of Beverley, in the Field of the 9th 

 July, 1898. I reproduce it in full. Mr. 

 Boyes writes : — 



" In the correspondence which has 

 taken place in your columns respecting 

 the 'drumming' of the snipe, it has 

 appeared to me that your contributors 

 have confused the vocal notes of the bird 

 with that most peculiar sound which it 

 makes by the aid of its tail and wings. 

 What is known to naturalists as the ' drum- 

 ming ' or ' bleating ' of the snipe is that 

 sound which the bird makes when on the 

 wing and whilst it is descending rapidly 



