12 MR. p. H. BAHR ON THE [Jan. 15, 



2. On the ''Bleating^' or '' Drumming'' of the Snipe 

 {(jallmago coelestis). By P. H. Bahr, B.A., F.Z.S. 



[Received November 20, 1906.] 

 (Text-figures 3-9.) 



This subject has been much discussed, but the interest taken in it 

 seems rather to have waned during the latter years. I think there- 

 fore it would be profitable to inquire once more into this strange 

 phenomenon, especially as many points require elucidation, in the 

 explanation of which autliorities diff^ei- considerably. I believe it 

 is well known to all of us that during the breeding-season our 

 Common Snipe performs certain aerial evolutions, producing at the 

 same time a mysterious sound, called in various parts of the country 

 bleating, humming, drumming, or whirring, " Meckern " in Ger- 

 many, while in parts of Scotland the popular name of the bird is 

 " Heather Bleater," and in France " Chev re volant." The process 

 is shortly as follows : — The bird is seen to fly straight up to a 

 height of from 60-100 feet, then, turning, to spread its tail, close 

 its wings, and drop to within 20-30 feet of the ground, producing 

 at the same time this mystei-ious sound, which has puzzled observers 

 so. As to the cause of it many theories have been put forward 

 by scientific ornithologists, sportsmen, and foi'esters. We may 

 group the evidence for these theories under four heads : — 



I. The sound is pi-oduced by the vocal organs. 

 II. The sound is produced by the rectrices of the tail, which I 

 hope to be able to prove is correct. 

 III. The sound is produced by the action of the primaries of the 



wing. 

 lY. The sound is produced by the combined action of the wings 

 and tail (maintained by a few observei-s). 



I. The first evidence in favour of this theory which I can find 

 is an article by Dobel (' Jiiger Practica,' 1783, pt. i. p. 73), who 

 says that the Snipe produces at night-time, while sitting on the 

 ground in a marsh oi- close to water, a noise which the ignorant 

 would mistake for the bleating of a young goat. 



Bechstein, in 1789 (ISTaturgesch. Deutsch. 2nd ed. vol. iv. p. 190), 

 maintains " that the Snipe makes its plaintive cry, like a goat 

 bleating, with its heak ancl not, as has been lately affirmed, with 

 its wings." He adduces evidence of birds bleating whilst perched 

 on the tops of trees. 



Hintz (' Naumannia,' 1854, p. 290), from observations made 

 from 1816-19, believes the sound is made by the bill. He heard 

 Snipe "bleating" lohilst sitting on top of withered oak-trees, first 

 uttering their call-note " pecka pecka," and then bleating. 



Zoppritz (Ornith. Centralblatt, Nov. 1880) seems to be very 

 certain of the accuracy of his observation, foi- he writes : — " Two 

 years ago I published an article on this subject in a sporting 

 journal, wherein I offered to pay a fine of 500 marks to the treasury 

 of the Allgemeine Deutsche Jagd-schutz-verein if three umpires 

 appointed by the Verein publicly declared that they were convinced 



