remarkable that in spite of many well-authenticated 

 records of the occurrence of our bird in summer, and 

 many tales of the finding of its nest and eggs, there is 

 hitherto no proof that it has ever bred in any part of 

 the United Kingdom. The breeding-haunts of the Jack 

 Snipe are the morasses of the extreme north of Europe, 

 and an interesting account by John Wolley of the 

 discovery of several nests and eggs, and the behaviour of 

 the birds at their breeding-places in Lapland, is given 

 in the 4th ed. of ' Yarrell.' We are there informed 

 that during the breeding-season this bird makes a 

 " drumming " noise like the cantering of a horse over 

 a hard hollow road. In the district of Northampton- 

 shire with which I am best acquainted, the Jack Snipe 

 generally appears during the third week of September; 

 I have one record for August 15, but none for any day 

 between that and the 7th of the following month. The 

 latest lingerer of which I have heard in our neigh- 

 bourhood was sprung by one' of our gamekeepers on 

 May 18th, 1891 ; with this solitary exception I have no 

 record of appearance after the end of April. This species 

 differs from the Common Snipe in its comparatively 

 solitary habits, its usual reluctance to take wing, its short 

 flights when disturbed, and its endurance of severe frosts 

 that drive the latter birds from all their favourite haunts. 

 A Jack Snipe flushed one day from a particular spot 

 may be found again there or thereabouts every day 

 throughout the winter months, unless relentlessly pur- 

 sued, and many amusing stories are told of a Jack Snipe 

 having afforded sport through the season to an unskilful 

 shooter. I cannot say that I considered these little 



