206 SYNOPSIS"“AND ALPHABETICAL VINDES 
(compare habit of Full snipe), even though it has been 
hunted with dogs and fired at more than once; it lies 
so close that you may sometimes even walk over it ; 
it is, moreover, quite silent (except in its North Russian 
and Siberian home at nesting time). The French call 
it the ‘deaf snipe.’ Lastly, it is a winter visitor (never 
breeds in this country), arriving here in September to 
October, and leaving again (after having moulted to its 
beautiful glossy summer plumage) in March to April. 
Only a few are found compared with the Full or common 
snipe, and it is generally also alone, or only two or three 
are found together. The male and female are alike. 
The shape and motion of the wings is characteristic. 
The flight is quick and erratic, and the wings seem to 
stop momentarily. The common sandpiper (frequent- 
ing river banks and shores) is about the same size and 
appearance when seen on the wing, and fizes like it: 
but it isa summer visitor only. It is called the sum- 
mer snipe. The sanderling, another visitor, is something 
like it, too, in size and flight. 
ir, REED “WARBLER 
(Pages 27-20) 
Acrocephalus streperus. (Gr., acrocephalos, pointed 
head; Lat., stveperus, making a noise). A beautiful 
small, delicate visitor arriving about the middle of 
