EUROPEAN SNIPE— WILLET 105 



The worms are obtained by probing in the soft soil and 

 are apparently detected by the tip of the beak, which 

 is supplied with a pair of large nerves and is therefore 

 extremely sensitive. 



The buff and black stripings and barrings on these 

 birds play a very important part, since they serve to 

 blend the body with the surrounding grasses when the 

 bird is crouching to avoid its enemies. This it always 

 does in preference to seeking safety by flight. 



In the spring both males and females spend much 

 of their time in making extraordinary sounds known 

 as "bleating." This curious, humming noise they pro- 

 duce by mounting high in the air and then descending 

 with tremendous rapidity, meanwhile spreading the 

 wings so that the two outer feathers stand apart from 

 the rest. The rush of air against these is now known 

 to cause the sounds which have puzzled so many ob- 

 servers. 



The Common Snipe of Europe has fourteen tail- 

 feathers, while the nearly related American species has 

 sixteen. See Plate 31, Fig. 178. 



The Jack Snipe is a common British bird during the 

 ^winter season, leaving in the spring to breed in north- 

 ern Europe. Smaller thara the Common Snipe, it is 

 further distinguished from it by having but twelve 

 tail-feathers. This bird also makes curious noises dur- 

 ing the breeding season, but these are apparently vocal 

 and not made by the wing-feathers. It is said that this 

 noise resembles that made by a horse when galloping 

 on a hard road. 



The real home of the Great, or Solitary, Snipe is in 

 the marshy districts of Poland and in parts of Russia, 



