LXIL COMMON SNIPE. 



(Gallinago ccelestis.} 



THIS bird is not very numerous here. The Snipe is from a 

 sketch from life, as also were the young ; and the ground was 

 from nature, in the place the young ones were found. When 

 out with a shooter one day in August many years ago, I took 

 him to where I had often seen Snipe, little thinking there would 

 be downy young ones so late in the year. The old birds rose, 

 but fortunately were missed, and the dogs were eagerly smelling 

 about after what we discovered to be two very young Snipe, so 

 I carried one home as quickly as I could, with perfect indiffer- 

 ence to wet feet and draggled petticoats, and got it drawn while 

 the daylight lasted. The gillie took it back to the place where it 

 was caught, and found its disconsolate parents still looking for 

 it. It also had the instinct to be still in times of danger. I 

 never had a better sitter ; it was as still as if it had been stuffed 

 and put in the Kensington Museum. 



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