256 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



turf and bring out a worm, which is sucked down with 

 no apparent exertion, and the bird does not throw back 

 his head as one constantly sees depicted, but rather 

 stretches out his neck, the bill pointing downwards. 

 Fig. 6 shows him in the act of swallowing a worm. If 

 the worm is too large to be swallowed whole, it is hammered 

 and pinched until broken up, when the pieces are 

 swallowed separately. He will eat any kind of worm 

 except brandlings, and is very fond of the grubs of 



Fig. (3. — In the act of Swallowing a Worm. 

 {Photographed by P. H. Bahr.) 



daddy long-legs. While feeding he keeps up a perpetual 

 twitter. 



" John " is not so large as a wild Snipe, nor is his bill 

 so long as it should be, and I put both these defects down 

 to his being hand-reared. He is exceedingly tame, 

 and will let me do anything with him (c/. Fig. 7). He 

 will even " display " to me, walking round and round my 

 hand, uttering the spring note, with his tail spread out in 



