1907.] " bleating" OF THE SNIPE. 17 



Oapt. W. V. Legge, in his appendix to the ' Birds of Ceylon,' 

 expresses the opinion that the sound is produced by the combined 

 action of the wings and tail. 



I have dwelt on the literature for some length, in order that 

 one may review the evidence adduced by the adhei'ents of the 

 different theories. 



In the summer of 1904, in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, I began 

 to observe the Snipe in the act of bleating through a strong prism 

 binocular. I had read none of the literature on the subject, and 

 so had no preconceived ideas. The observations I made then I 

 have had ample opportunities of confirming. 



I find that ordinarily the bird flies up to a height of 60-100 feet 

 above ground, in windy weather going higher, with its tail held 

 in the ordinaiy position of flight (text-fig. 3, b), then, turning, it 

 spreads its tail out like a fan, the two outer tail-feathers being 

 spread out well in front of the other twelve and held firmly there 

 (text-fig. 3, a). Immediately the bird begins to descend the bleat 

 is heard (making due allowance for the time it takes for sound to 

 travel). While descending the bird makes tremulous motions 

 with its wings from the radio-carpal joint. The descent is made 

 from 30-40 feet and occupies 2-3 sees., the bleat lasting the same 

 time. The bird does not drop head foremost through space, but 

 at an angle of from 45°- 60° with the horizon. The tail as a whole 

 is not vibrated, but it is quite easy to see the two outer tail-feathers 

 with a strong glass vibrating to such an extent that their terminal 

 portions become indistinguishable. Snipe begin to bleat in March, 

 but if the weather is mild, in February, and continue to the end 

 of May, though I heard one last year in Sutherland still bleating 

 on June 25th. 



At the beginning of the breeding-season they may be seen 

 bleating in pairs ; but later on, when the hen is sitting, the cock 

 bird may be seen performing alone over the marsh where the nest 

 is placed. Under favourable conditions many bleat together, 

 circling round the same spot for hours. On April 12th of last 

 year, I had the good fortune to hear no less than twelve birds 

 bleating together, a concert which they kept up all tln'ough the 

 night. Every now and again, as if by common consent, there 

 would be a lull, and all the birds would settle, but directly one 

 began again all the rest immediately joined in the chorus. 



Snipe bleat best in the early morning and in the evening, 

 especially when the weather is dull and damp. It may be of 

 interest to note that last spring I saw a specimen of the melanistic 

 variety (Sabine's Snipe) bleating. 



Once having convinced myself that the two outer tail-feathers 

 are invariably spread out beyond the others, a fact which is now 

 obvious to me with the unaided eye, it seemed to me that the two 

 outer tail-feathers must be the active agents in causing the bleat. 

 I accordingly procured several tails of the Common Snipe, and 

 taking the two outer tail-feathers, pierced the shaft with a pin, 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1907, No. II. 2 



