142 COMMON SNIPE. 



coopers to put between the staves of casks. On the floating remains of these and other 

 aquatic plants, they lie in great numbers, and are to be approached only by the means 

 of a boat. In the early part of a morning, when the whiteness of a hoar frost renders 

 the Snipes visible, the marshmen secrete themselves in a small boat behind a neighbouring 

 reed-bush, and shoot at them sitting upon these broken weeds, and have sometimes the 

 good fortune to kill many at a shot. In the latter part of November they gradually 

 take their departure, and, except a few stragglers, are not to be met with before the 

 months of February and March in the following spring." 



Snipes are monogamous, and pairing takes place very early, occasionally as soon as the 

 end of February, or beginning of March, but usually not till the end of the latter month, 

 or early in April; at which time the male Snipe serenades his mate with two distinct 

 notes, differing as widely from each other as from the cry they utter at other times. The 

 one note may be compared to the repetition of the word 'tinker, tinker,' uttered in a 

 sharp, shrill tone, as the bird ascends in its flight; the other, uttered as he descends, is 

 somewhat similar to the bleating of a lamb, only in a deeper tone, and accompanied with 

 a violent vibration of the wings." It is from this latter note that the Snipe derives its 

 name of Heather-bleater ; and various conjectures have been made as to the way in which 

 it is produced by the bird; some, as Selby, Macgillivray, etc. — high authorities in matters 

 ornithological — considering that it is produced by some peculiar vibration of the wings; 

 others look upon it as effected by the vocal organs. The question is still undecided ; but 

 we are inclined to think the latter the more probable explanation; for it is heard at a 

 much greater distance than we can imagine it possible any noise produced only by the 

 vibration of the wings of so small a bird could be heard; namely, from a quarter to half 

 a mile. 



On this point, Mr. William E. Fisher, of 5, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, has written 

 as follows in the "Zoologist :"— "Two of your correspondents have called in question Mr. 

 Bree's assertion, that the sound produced by the Common Snipe is sometimes emitted 

 whilst the bird is on the ground. This noise has been described by various writers under 

 the somewhat opposite names of 'drumming,' 'humming,' 'bleating,' and 'whorring.' I do 

 not mean in any manner to dispute Mr. Atkinson's assertion as to the powers of ventril- 

 oquism possessed by birds; but the fact is, that the Snipe produces two distinct sounds; 

 the one, which, as Mr. Atkinson observes, much resembles the buzzing of a large bee, I 

 have only heard when the bird was in the air, and descending rapidly ; the other, possibly 

 that referred to by Mr. Bree, under the term 'whorring,' I have thought to be in some 

 degree similar to that produced by the sharpening of a saw, but with little of the unpleasant 

 harshness ; and I can state with certainty, from the most careful observation, that during 

 the time of its emission, the Snipe is not in the air, but on the ground. I may add, 

 that having on one occasion approached sufficiently near to obtain a full view of the bird, 



