BIRDS 109 



The eggs are pear-shaped, pale olive-brown (varying to greenish), spotted 

 and blotched with reddish brown, black, and purple-grey. Just as the Wood- 

 cock (which see) has its own peculiar flight " roding " so the Snipe is noted 

 for its " musical ride," when it mounts high in the air, then flies in wide circles, 

 dropping sideways every now and then some fifty feet, and uttering as it falls 

 a series of high notes called " drumming," " bleating," or " neighing." It 

 begins at daybreak for an hour or so ; again at midday and sunset ; and on a 

 moonlight night on and off through the night, several birds taking part. It 

 has now been proved that this curious " humming " sound is produced by the 

 wind passing through the wide spread feathers of the tail, the two outside 

 feathers being of peculiarly stout construction. 



The hen bird when disturbed will frequently feign injury, and at a safe 

 distance scold unmistakably, " Chack-ach-chack-wach-chack-a-a-h-chacka- 

 a-ah ! " 



The Snipe does not carry its young, as the Woodcock does, to the feeding 

 grounds. 



Snipe, Great (io| inches). Does not breed here, but is a bird of passage, 

 coming in small numbers to the South and East Coasts. It may be distin- 

 guished by the white outer tail feathers ; and, if the bird be handled, by the 

 sixteen tail feathers, instead of the Common Snipe's fourteen. 



Starling. There is no need to describe this common but beautiful bird, 

 with the metallic blues and greens of his black spangled plumage, his long 

 yellow bill, flat head, and short tail. Whatever harm he does to the fruit 

 (for example, the cherries), he more than equalizes by his persistent hunt for 

 injurious insects and larvae, wire-worms, weevils, and grubs. There are two 

 varieties in this country, a purple-headed and green-headed, and though 

 resident with us all the year round, enormous flocks migrate to and from these 

 shores. The song with its bubbles and castanets and imitations is unique, 

 and to watch the cock bird giving his vocal performance is, or may be, the 

 delight of every one who lives under a roof. Any sort of a hole serves for a 

 nest, and some " nesting boxes " occupied every year by starlings are shown 

 in this book. Among noticeable features of this bird, it may be remarked that 

 it walks, instead of hopping on the ground ; that it has a curious way of parting 

 the grass blades by thrusting in its bill and then opening it an operation 

 which I have endured upon my hair from a tame starling ; and it devours, 

 and brings to its young, the obnoxious cabbage butter/lies (an inestimable 

 service to the gardener and farmer). Its eggs are a beautiful pale blue, and it 

 sometimes has two broods in a season. 



Thrush, Mistle. This bird is so familiar that brief notes will suffice. It is 

 larger than the Blackbird ; is distinguished from the Song Thrush by its large 

 size, its greyer appearance (the upper parts being greyish brown), its spotted 

 flanks no other thrush being so marked and the white edging to the tail, 

 showing up especially in flight ; also by its harsh, grating alarm note. 



It is one of the earliest birds to sing ; in fact, it may be heard from September 



