OP K0RTHtr3tBEElA.ND AJfD BrKHAM. 113 



texture, or by having it reduced to tiie greatest possible ex- 

 tent. 



It ought not to be forgotten, too, that the sound is audible at a 

 great distance, and even when the bird has risen high into the air. 

 IS'o sound that could be produced, under any circumstances, by 

 such feeble instruments as the lateral tail-feathers of the Snipe, 

 instruments not larger than the wings of a Dragonfly, could be 

 heard at any considerable distance. And it can scarcely be 

 doubted by anyone that the wings of a Snipe vibrating rapidly 

 will produce some sound or other, louder than any that could be 

 made by a pair of small tail-feathers of a bird rushing down 

 through the air. Only one sound, however, is heard. How is 

 it, then, that the lesser noise is audible and not the greater? 

 That while the sound produced by such feeble instruments as 

 the lateral tail-feathers is easily heard, that made by the rapid 

 vibrations of the comparatively powerful wings is inaudible ? 

 The only answer to these questions would seem to be that the 

 neighing or bleating of the Snipe results from the action of the 

 wings; and that any sound produced by the tail-feathers is 

 inaudible. 



TAMEir. SABl^"I;'s Snipe. G-. Sabixii, {Vigors.) 



Scolopax Sahinii, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, II., 126. 

 Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, III., 39. 



It appears by Mr. Selby's "Illustrations of British Ornith- 

 ology" that as his work was passing through the press he re- 

 ceived ''a fresh specimen of this rare Snipe from Morpeth." 



I am cognisant of no other instance of the occurrence of this 

 variety in oiu" district. 



Degland and Grerbe give this as a variety of the Common 

 Snipe; and indeed it is now generally so considered. I saw, 

 many years ago, the original specimen from which Yigors made 

 his description, and am now, as I was then, perfectly satisfied 

 that it is a mere variety as to colour of the Common Snipe. 



