THE SNIPE. 329 



the order, that the old birds reel and tumble before him, 

 or otherwise try to take his attention, and the brood 

 separate and instantly crouch low and motionless 

 amongst the herbage, there to remain until the danger 

 has passed. 



I have reason to believe that the Snipe, as soon as its 

 young have gained the use of their pinions, abandons 

 them, and also separates from its mate, and remains 

 solitary for the remainder of the year, or at most unites 

 in little parties, either drawn together by the position of 

 their food, or for the purpose of migrating. In the late 

 autumn months the Snipes which retired to the swamps 

 of Northern Europe nov/ return to winter here. In hard 

 weather they sometimes frequent the hedgerows, especi- 

 ally where a sluggish stream occurs. So, too, vve see them 

 in the woods or plantations in company with the Wood- 

 cocks, and even amongst turnips in the swampy parts of 

 the field. Snipes perform their migrations in the night. 

 Most wonderful is the instinct which leads them to a 

 fitting haunt when in the course of their journeyings, 

 especially when we know the birds travel in the night 

 time, when landmarks are invisible, and the w^hole face 

 of the country wrapped in murky gloom. One day a 

 locality may not contain a single Snipe, while the next 

 they occur in abundance. Where the birds are numerous 

 you find they rise here and there, never congregate, and 

 busy themselves with their own affairs alone. Solitary 

 they are in the fullest sense of the word, not even 

 sociable amongst themselves, seldom more than a pair 

 together, and their only unions are formed for purposes 

 already dwelt upon. 



The Snipe is not a swimming bird, and seldom takes 

 to the water. I have, however, seen a bird of this 

 species when flying over a mountain lake suddenly dash 



