276 ON SURREY HILLS. 



condition — weighing, however, only about two ounces 

 at his best If he reaches a quarter over the two 

 ounces it is something grand for him. Up to the 

 present time his nest or eggs have not been found in 

 England, to my knowledge at least. Reported in- 

 stances have been given ; but after careful examina- 

 tion the eggs have been proved to be only small 

 specimens of those of the common snipe, or heather- 

 bleater, as he is called. Little Jack-snipe, like our 

 common sandpiper or summer snipe, will trip and 

 probe along the edge of any drain near a town for his 

 food -supply. A railway station has no terrors for 

 him ; the rush and rattle of trains will not daunt him 

 or his larger relative, if there happen to be a drain or 

 two near, or, still better, a large culvert. There is 

 something very attractive, in the shape of food for 

 snipes, to be found in sharp weather at the mouth or 

 sides of a warm drain, from a town or railway station. 

 I own to a high degree of irritability against the 

 system of capturing birds and their eggs to supply 

 so-called collectors — saving the mark — in season and 

 out of season. The Bird Act is in force for the 

 strict preservation of birds that do not breed here, 

 nor ever will. It is a sore subject with all wild-fowl 



