COMMON SNIPE. 145 



are surprisingly familiar, considering its commonly-supposed irreclaimable nature. During 

 the night it reposes quietly in a cage, standing on one leg, with the head under the 

 wing. By day, however, a desire to be enlarged is signified by an incessant striking of 

 the bill and head against its prison wires. When released, it flies about the rooms and 

 passages, walks on the table, is pleased at being noticed by those about him, and is on 

 terms of great intimacy with a little spaniel lap-dog. Ko situation seems to accord so 

 well with the animal's ideas of comfort as a place on a stool before the fire. Thus 

 accommodated to its liking, and especially if at the same time fondled with the voice 

 and hand, or enjoying the close proximity of its canine associate, it emits a subdued 

 whistling note, sometimes, but very rarely, varied with an approach to a twitter. The 

 food is usually given to it in a glass of water. Wherever the vessel is placed, all that 

 is requisite to secure prompt attendance, is to scrape against the edge with a metallic 

 substance. In feeding, it has great difficulty in seizing a worm, or any substance of 

 similar form, that may happen to be lying on a flat surface. After repeated unsuccessful 

 attempts, the morsel is at last got lengthwise between the mandibles, and disappears. 



Strangers are readily distinguished from the people of the house, as shown by an 

 evident difference of manner, indicative of alarm, manifested in their presence. Should 

 any one be too rude in his advances, the bird, in endeavouring to avoid him, has a 

 peculiar way of erecting the tail feathers, and turning them all in the opposite direction. 

 It likes to be kept clean, and devotes frequent attention to the smooth and orderly 

 appearance of the plumage. Although, in the opinion, at least, of Milne Edwards, the 

 visage of the genus Scolopax bears the stamp of stupidity, (Leur aspect denote la stupidite;) 

 some of the foregoing circumstances indicate the possession of as large a share of intel- 

 ligence on the part of the present convert to civilization, as most of the feathered race 

 are capable of testifying, by their actions, to our apprehension. The specimen is now, 

 January 8th., 1847, in the Earl of Derby's aviary, at Knowsley." 



Varieties of the Snipe now and then occur, usually of a white, or cream-colour, either 

 plain or mottled with light brown. Mr. Thompson records a curious variety, which had 

 several times fallen under his notice: — "In the winter of 1831-32, several crested Snipes 

 were shot in the bogs near the town just named, (Belfast,) by three of my sporting 

 acquaintances, to the gun of one of whom two or three fell on the same day in the 

 King's Moss. The crest of one which came under my inspection, extended for nine lines 

 from the lower portion of the entire back of the head in a horizontal manner. Close 

 to the head only, the feathers were brown and black, all the rest being white ; this crest 

 arose from a warty protuberance. It is extraordinary that so many with crests should 

 occur about the same time, as I had not before, nor have I since met with any but a 

 single individual, (in December, 1841,) having such an appendage. This specimen exhibited 

 a row of feathers projecting in a drooping manner four lines from the lower part of the 



