6o 



THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



Frank and Jimmy laughed heartily, and the former said, 



" Look up in the air, Dick." 



Dick did so, and saw a bird which he knew to be a snipe, 

 hovering somewhat after the manner of a kestrel, or wind- 

 hover, as the country people sometimes call it. It was evident 

 now that the noise came from it, but how was it produced, and 

 why? 



Frank coald not answer either of these questions. It was a 

 habit of the snipes in breeding time to rise and * drum ' in that 

 way. 



COMMON SNIPE. 



" No doubt he does it for a lark, and no doubt he thinks 

 he does it as well as a lark, but no one seems to be sure how 

 the noise is produced. The general opinion seems to be that 

 it is caused by a vibration of the tail-feathers. ' ; 



" Look !" cried Dick excitedly, diving into the cabin for his 

 butterfly net. Over the marsh there fluttered one of the 

 grandest of English butterflies, the swallow-tail. Large in 



