THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST. 171 



and the other an old and observant inhabitant of the 

 forest. We were all supplied with powerful glasses. 



Before we had lain very long in ambush the desired 

 sound struck our ears, proceeding from a snipe that 

 was circling high above us. We watched the bird for 

 a long time, but he never came near enough to give a 

 good view. Several others afforded us much disap- 

 pointment, but at last all our trouble was fully repaid. 

 A fine snipe arose at no great distance, and just as if he 

 had known our object, and intended to give us his best 

 aid, began to cry and drum just over our heads, and at 

 so small a height that as he wheeled in airy circles his 

 long beak and bright eye were clearly seen even by the 

 unaided vision, while the double field-glasses with 

 which we were supplied gave us as excellent a view of 

 the bird as if it were within two yards. 



It was, then, quite clear that the drumming sound 

 was not produced by the voice, as the bird repeatedly 

 uttered the sound of * chic ! chic ! chick-a ! ' simulta- 

 neously with the drumming. Without offering any 

 opinion we repeatedly watched the bird, and then com- 

 pared our observations. They were unanimous, and to 

 the effect that the sound was produced by the quill 

 feathers of the wings. The bird never drummed ex- 

 cept when on the stoop, and whenever it performed 

 this manoeuvre the quill feathers of the wings were 

 always expanded to their utmost width, so that the 

 light could be seen between them, and quivered with a 

 rapid tremulous motion that quite blurred their out- 



