126 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
adherence to the “theory of the wings.” His remarks, too long 
to be quoted here, are most interesting, and ought to be read in 
extenso by all who have not already formed an opinion on the 
subject. 
The late Dr. Saxby, once a frequent contributor to the pages 
of this Journal, has discussed the matter in his ‘ Birds of Shet- 
land,’ and at page 204 of that work cbserves :—‘“ The many years’ 
intimate acquaintance with the bird and its habits which I have 
enjoyed confirms me in the now generally received opinion that the 
‘drumming’ is produced by the vibration of the wings alone.” 
The most recently published testimony on the subject, with 
the exception of the German articles already referred to, is that 
of Capt. W. V. Legge, who, in the Appendix to his admirable 
work on the Birds of Ceylon, has expressed a very decided opinion 
on the subject, based on his own personal observation. As this 
will probably be new to many readers of ‘ The Zoologist,’ it may 
be here appropriately quoted. Capt. Legge says :— 
«The most favourable occasion I had for observation was on the evening 
of the 10th June [in Wales], when a Snipe having young near where I was 
standing, ‘drummed’ over my head, flying backwards and forwards in the 
manner now to be described, without cessation, for a ete of we -two 
minutes, timed by my watch. cs * * of * x ‘ 
The aérial course taken by the bird was au ellipse, of the average length of 
a quarter of a mile, described over where I stood; but it was sometimes 
varied by her making a figure of ‘S’ above my head, the bird always 
returning to its original starting-point in the air, and again making the 
same tour. The movement for the purpose of ‘drumming’ was generally 
performed twice, but sometimes thrice, going and coming, making from 
four to six times in each figure described. It flew at a height of about 100 
yards with a quick and regular movement of the wings, and ‘ drummed’ in 
this wise:—The body was suddenly turned on one side and the bird 
descended rapidly for about 100 feet at an angle of 45 degrees, moving its 
wings with very rapid and powerful strokes, its tail being at the same time 
opened to the utmost; having arrived at the lowest point of its descent, it 
suddenly turned its body in the reverse direction, that is, elevated the wing 
which had been before depressed, and with a short upward sweep ceased 
the drumming noise and rose to its original position, continued its course 
for a short distance, and then descended with the same rush again. The 
movement was always performed with the same wing pointed downwards 
throughout one half of the bird’s course; that is, if it commenced to drum 
with the left wing down when flying from east to west, that wing was 
