COMMON SNIPE. 17 



end perhaps accelerated by mortification at the triumph of the 

 railroad but Junior lapses into a positive as well as a relative 

 term, and soon, though we must not say too soon, ceases to 

 be appropriate in either case. I was sitting behind him, for 

 I had not the reins that morning, and pointed out to him 

 as we passed a tree by the road, a Snipe perched on one of 

 the branches which was bare of leaves, it being winter at 

 the time. If he is still living, for I have not seen him for 

 some years, he will remember the fact, for he was much struck 

 with it as well as myself, and I have since more than once 

 reminded him of it. . Those days are gone for ever 



'The coach of other days is faded, 



And all its glories past; 

 For steam with envious cloud hath shaded. 



Its hopes too bright to last.' 



Only last week I happened to meet at York one of the old 

 mail coachmen between that city and Doncaster, Holtby, well 

 known in days of yore, and heard him draw a comparison 

 between the road and the rail, to the decided deprecation of 

 the latter. I could not but in some measure agree with 

 him: 'If the coach overturns, and you are thrown into the 

 ditch, and break your arm or your leg, there you are; but 

 if there comes a smash on the railway where are you?' 



In running the Snipe jerks the tail, spreading it out also 

 sideways 



They feed on worms, small shell-fish, Iarva3, insects, and 

 vegetable substances, and a few seeds are at times also swallowed, 

 but perhaps inadvertently, as well as some sand. The first- 

 named are procured by boring with the long bill in soft ground. 



The note of the Snipe, uttered on the wing, and when 

 first put up, is an abrupt pipe; Selby expresses it by the 

 word 'chissick,' lispingly pronounced. Another sound, resembling 

 a tremulous bleating or humming, is also made, but this is 

 supposed to be produced by the action of the wings, for 

 the bird at such times is observed to descend with great 

 swiftness, and with a thrilling movement of the pinions. A 

 whirring noise is produced by the bird at times when on the 

 ground, and this without any apparent motion of the wings, 

 as stated, after personal observation, by William Richard 

 Fisher, Esq., of Yarmouth, in the 'Zoologist,' page 1501. 

 VOL vi. C 



