THE SNIPE. 



The common snipes are very numerous in winter, in 

 the marshy places which afford them food and conceal- 

 ment ; and they are increased by supplies from the north 

 of Europe. \Vhen removing to any distance, they fly 

 very high, and their calls can be heard when beyond the 

 reach of ordinary sight. In the breeding season, the 

 snipe changes its note entirely from that it makes in 

 winter. The male will keep on wing for an hour to- 

 gether, mounting like a lark, making a shrill, piping 

 noise ; it then descends with great velocity, uttering a 

 bleating sound, not unlike an old goat, which is repeated 

 alternately round the spot possessed by the female, espe- 

 cially while she is sitting on her nest. 



The snipe is an unsocial and solitary bird. While 

 many of the feathered tribes, all indeed, except our birds 

 of prey and a few others, dislike a hermit life, and are 

 found in pairs, family parties, or flocks, the individuals 

 of this species pass the greater part of their lives retired 

 and alone. It is supposed they pair and raise their 



