190 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



waving rushes completely overhanging and almost 

 concealing it. The eggs, always four in number, 

 vary a good deal in the markings, but the ordinary 

 type is a pale olive-brown ground-colour with dark 

 purplish-brown blotches chiefly at the larger end. 



The peculiar noise called " drumming," which the 

 Snipe is sometimes heard to make, has been the 

 subject of much discussion among sportsmen and na- 

 turalists. Some assert that the sound proceeds from 

 the bird's larynx, while others maintain that it is pro- 

 duced with the wings. From personal observation I 

 have no doubt that the latter is the more correct view, 

 and I came to this conclusion from remarking that 

 the "drumming," or, more properly, the "buzzing" 

 sound was only produced when the bird was on the 

 wing, and descending through the air in a diagonal 

 line, at which time a shivering of the wings was very 

 perceptible. On one occasion, having disturbed a 

 pair of Snipe from their nest, they continued to fly 

 round me in circles, making this peculiar noise for 

 nearly half-an-hour. Sometimes, when they passed 

 pretty close to me, falling diagonally through the 

 air, I could perceive that the bill was closed, while 

 the wings shivered. As both these birds were heard 

 to " drum," it is presumed that the sound is not 

 peculiar to the male bird, as some have supposed. 



Early one morning I surprised a Snipe standing in 

 the middle of a very shallow brook, and apparently, 

 at the same moment, he became aware of my 



