370 Animal Lite 
Now all is changed; those meres which have not entirely disappeared have dwindled 
down to ponds, and so the ruffs and reeves and other interesting birds, finding no more 
food and shelter in the fens than in any agricultural district, have ceased to visit this, 
their once famous haunt. 
The fenman of to-day clings sufficiently to past traditions to still prefer a peat fire 
(although it is somewhat questionable whether coal would not be a more economical 
fuel), so the pleasant smell of burning turf hangs about the fen villages, and long lines 
of fresh-dug peat and huge square stacks break the monotony of the country. But, 
what is of far more importance to the naturalist, the peat-digging keeps some of the 
fen in an uncultivated state, where the snipe still breed in fair numbers. 
There are several of these twf diggings near the larger fen villages between 
Cambridge and Ely, especially where the near vicinity of the lodes affords an easy 
means of carrying the turf in barges to the villages, “lode” being the fen name for 
the navigable canals which form a communication between the villages and the rivers. 
Long parallel trenches are dug six or eight feet apart, the intervening spaces remaining 
untouched for several years, during which time the trenches made by digging out the 
peat become filled with water. The country thus assumes 
an aspect of a number of alternating narrow strips of 
land and water, and in the rank grass and juncus covering 
these strips the snipe make their nests. 
Most notable of these breeding-grounds, which the 
turf diggings have preserved for the snipe, is that part 
of Burwell fen which forms the pomt of land between 
Reach and Burwell Lodes, and on the north of Burwell 
Lode towards Wicken Sedge fen. Here, in addition to 
many lapwings and a few pairs of redshank, nest annually 
some twenty to fifty pairs of snipe. 
On a suitable day, from the beginning of April to 
nearly the end of June, they may be seen high up, 
flying with rapid wing beats in large circles; and as 
they reach a certain point they descend sideways for a 
short distance, making with their stiff wing or tail 
feathers a loud bleating noise. This is doubtless a 
habit due to the nuptial season, for it is only at this 
time of the year that it occurs; all day long the sound 
may be heard, and often after dark, when it becomes 
very weird and distinct in the stillness of night. 
It is quite fascinating to watch this circling flight of the snipe and speculate as to 
when the bleating noise will be made. Sometimes the circles will be quite small, and 
as the temporary sidelong drop, with its consequent music, will take place at the 
completion of each circle, it naturally follows that it becomes more frequent as the 
circles become smaller. 
On a warm, quiet day many will be on the wing at the same time, when the 
sound is suggestive of the bleating of a flock of deep-voiced goats. 
The snipe’s nest is not nearly so difficult to find as are those of most ground- 
nesting birds. There need be no tedious watching with field-glasses in order to mark 
the bird on to her nest, for the snipe is a close sitter, and it is only necessary to walk 
briskly up and down the ridges, keeping a sharp look-out the while. She will get up 
with a startling “flip” right at your feet, and go off with the familiar scaape-scaape to 
join her mate in his aérial circlings. As a rule the nest is slightly raised in a tuft of 
grass, especially so if the ground is very wet; a good deep “scrap-out” is made and 
A ah 
FOUR BEAUTIFUL 
PEAR-SHAPED EGGS. 
