CHAP. XXVIII.] SNIPES—JACK-SNIPES. 228 
In September and the beginning of October I could never find a 
single bird, though I have repeatedly tried to do so. A few 
come in October; but the greatest number which visit this 
country arrive at the November full-moon; these birds in- 
variably taking advantage of the lightest nights for their 
journey. In many parts of the country near the coast, the day, 
and almost the hour, of their arrival can be accurately calculated 
on, as also the particular thickets and coverts where the first 
birds alight. 
The snipe also begins to breed in March, though it is not quite 
so early a bird as the woodcock. Snipes hatch their young in 
this country, breeding and rearing them in the swamps, or near 
the springs on the mountains. During the pairing time the 
snipes fly about all day, hovering and wheeling in the air above 
the rushes where the female bird lies concealed, and uttering 
their peculiar cry, which resembles exactly the bleating of a 
goat, and from which they have one of their Gaelic names, which 
signifies the air-goat. 
About the end of July and first week in August the snipes 
descend from the higher grounds, and collect in great numbers 
about certain favourite places. They remain in these spots for a 
week or ten days, and then disperse. The rest of the season we 
have but few in this part of the country. Particular ditches and 
streams near my house always afford me two or three snipes ; and 
as fast as I kill these, others appear. 
Occasionally flights of jack-snipes come here; generally about 
the end or middle of October ; and last year I find, on referring 
to my game-book, that on the 19th of October I killed eight 
brace of jack-snipes in an hour or two, finding them all ina small ~~ 
cushy pool and in the adjoining ditch. Usually, however, J 
only find three or four during a day’s shooting; but in this 
manner I kill a great many in the course of the season, as there 
appears to be a constant succession of these birds from October 
to March, when they leave us. The jack-snipe never remains to 
breed here. I can scarcely call the solitary snipe a bird of this 
country ; never having seen but one in Scotland, and that was in 
Sutherlandshire. 
