COMMON SNIPE. 33 



under the regulation of various causes ; so that the sports- 

 man, who has enjoyed excellent Snipe-shooting one day, 

 may find the same spots entirely deserted on the following. 

 Towards the end of March, or beginning of April, Snipes, 

 having nearly perfected their summer or nuptial plumage, 

 select appropriate places for nidification, and the male 

 bird commences his calls of invitation for a mate. These 

 are always uttered upon the wing, and consist of a piping 

 or clicking note, often repeated, and accompanied at in- 

 tervals by a humming or bleating noise, not unlike that of 

 a goat,* apparently produced by a peculiar action of the 

 wings, as the bird, whenever this sound is emitted, is 

 observed to descend with great velocity, and with a trem- 

 bling motion of the pinions. At this season it soars to an 

 immense height, remaining long upon the wing; and its 

 notes may frequently be heard when the bird itself is far 

 beyond the reach of sight. These nights are performed 

 at intervals during the day, but more commonly towards 

 the evening, and are continued during the whole time that 

 the female is engaged in incubation." Mr. Selby, who 

 was in Sutherlandshire in the summer of 1834, observed 

 that the Common Snipe was very abundant there in all the 

 moory and marshy tracts. 



Sir Humphrey Davy says, " In the heather surrounding 

 a small lake in the island of Hoy, in the Orkneys, I found, 

 in the month of August, in 1817, the nests of ten or 

 twelve couple of Snipes. I was Grouse-shooting, and my 

 dog continually pointed them ; and, as there were some- 

 times three young ones and two old in the nest, the scent 

 was very powerful. From accident of the season, these 

 Snipes were very late in being hatched, for they usually 

 fly before the middle of July ; but this year, even as late 



* In France, one of the names by which the Common Snipe is known, 

 is that of " Chbvre volant." 



VOL. III. D 



