BREEDING HABITS. 233 



been found in its stomach ; but these it is thought have 

 accidentally found their way there along with its proper 

 sustenance. 



We in England entertain the notion that the Common 

 Snipe is a social kind of bird, and one that from choice 

 associates with its fellows. Swedish and Danish naturalists 

 tell us, on the contrary, that " though large numbers are 

 not infrequently met with in the same morass, they always 

 lie separate from each other ;" thereby implying, I imagine, 

 that it is the favourable nature of the feeding-ground, 

 and not a feeling of sociability, that causes them thus 

 to consort. This is somewhat incomprehensible to me, 

 because both in the English fens and in Ireland, one 

 very often flushes them from the selfsame spot in flights 

 or wisps. 



Whether the Common Snipe is polygamous or mono- 

 gamous I am not prepared to say. The learned in Scan- 

 dinavia tell us that " during the pairing season they run 

 after each other in nearly the same manner as the Ruff, 

 and one can then readily approach to within gun-shot of 

 them." But of this matter I have neither personal know- 

 ledge, nor has any written description as to the manner 

 in which these birds make love hitherto met my eye. 



During the pairing and breeding season, especially in 

 fine and calm weather, the Common Snipe, as is well 

 known to sportsmen, is often heard to "drum" over 

 one's head. On rising into the air on these occasions, it 

 cries dicka ! dicka ! dicka ! or rather, perhaps, vittja I 

 vittja ! vittja ! and after attaining to a certain height, 

 descends rapidly again to the ground ; in which while its 

 wings quiver, as it were, and one hears a singular neighing 

 kind of noise. This noise, which is common to both sexes, 

 long puzzled the learned ; some imagining it proceeded 

 from the bird's bill, and others from its throat. M. Altum 

 has now, however, satisfactorily proved that it originates 



