202 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



Then in winter-time when the remnants of the 

 reed thickets are standing rustling in the wind, 

 their long yellow stems and ribbon-like leaves 

 rubbing together in mournful cadence, a new army 

 of birds descends from more northern regions ta 

 find the open water on which their very life 

 depends. Gone are the REED WARBLERS and the 

 CUCKOO ; the SKYLARKS are silent and mostly 

 away on fields and stubbles ; the LAND RAIL has 

 betaken himself to Africa ; but DUCKS are com- 

 moner ; and great gatherings of COOTS are there ; 

 as well as many a rare and local bird from across 

 the northern seas, dropped down hap-hazard in 

 their wanderings, tempted to settle here for a 

 season until warmer days return. Then, again, 

 especially during the seasons of migration, many 

 birds pass over them on their way north or south 

 to other haunts. 



The smaller swamps are perhaps most in- 

 teresting during the winter months ; for then the 

 JACK SNIPE (Scolopax gallinula) haunts them. 

 This bird does not breed within the British 

 Islands, for they are all too temperate for its 

 needs. It rears its young on the Arctic tundras, 

 although returning with astounding regularity to* 

 a favourite winter corner in this country. It 

 skulks close among the herbage, and when 

 flushed dashes off in a peculiar erratic manner; but 

 no matter how much it is disturbed, it soon con- 

 trives to slip back unnoticed to its favourite haunt. 

 The COMMON SNIPE frequents the swamps at this 

 season too ; and we may often notice, especially 

 during a long spell of hard weather, many other 

 birds that are rarely seen near them at any other 

 time. REDWINGS, BLACK GAME, ROOKS, LAP* 



