THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLOJS. 921 



disturbance has gone. Even, when shot at and missed, they may 

 often be found again in exactly the same place within a very few 

 hours, and this may occur several times before they are induced to 

 qiiit. 



A curious exception to this predilection for thick cover came 

 under my experience in Cachar, where both Mr. H. A. Hole and I 

 found these birds in July and August very numerous in recently 

 ploughed fields. Painted Snipe are very common in Cachar, and 

 especially so in the many bheels which run along the foot of the 

 North Cachar Hills. The ploughed fields where we found the 

 birds were small in area and consisted of the narrow strips of level 

 ground which ran up into the foot Hills themselves, whilst the 

 other ends terminated in swamp or jungle. The fields had in these 

 months no crops yet growing on them and though often surround- 

 ed with jungle were quite bare themselves, except for the small 

 amount of vegetation growing in the boundary ditches. Nor 

 were these fields muddy and moist, except after heavy rain, though 

 there was generally water in the ditches, yet the birds appeared 

 not only to live and to feed in the fields but to make their nests in 

 the ditches instead of in the swamps as would be expected. 



The Painted Snipe is a strong, sturdy walker, and when, as is 

 often the case, it inhabits cane bushes, beds of reeds or extensive 

 jungle, it will often run great distances when it alights after being- 

 flushed. It is also an excellent swimmer, and I once saw an 

 unwounded bird, disturbed by the near approach of a line of 

 shooters, slip into a wide ditch of clear water and swim to the 

 opposite side. Wounded birds have often been seen to swim 

 either to escape capture or when shot at and dropped in open 

 water. Legge also, quoting Layard, writes about two young- 

 Painted Snipe :■ — " On his giving chase, the chicks took to the 

 water and swam like ducklings." 



Finn in his "Indian Waders" has much to tell us of interest 

 about this bird in captivity, and his remarks must be quoted at 

 length. He writes : — " I have kept many and found them not very 

 lovable pets. The words used by Palgrave to describe the camel's 

 character will describe the ' Painter ' exactly, ' never tame, but 

 not wide-awake enough to be exactly wild.' I once even reared 



