368 THE COMMON OR FANTAIL SNIPE, 
mistaken after it has once been heard, is peculiar to the breeding 
season. At this period of the year Snipe may be constantly 
observed, but especially towards the evening, rising to a great 
height in the air, often uttering a sharp call sounding something 
like “tchik-tchak, tchik-tchak.” Suddenly, with outspread tail and 
sharply vibrating wings, they begin to descend with great velocity 
ina slanting direction, and so long as this descent lasts this 
peculiar drumming sound is heard. Having thus descended to 
within from thirty to a hundred yards of the ground, the bird 
resumes its natural flight, the sound ceases, and away goes 
Mr. Snipe uttering his “© tchik-tchak” louder than ever, as if 
greatly gratified with the performance with which he has edified 
his spouse on her nest below. That this drumming was not 
produced from the throat was proved by the fact that the bird 
fad been heard (though this is certainly exceptional) to utter 
its “ tchik-tchak” note whilst still drumming, and subsequently 
this latter was experimentally demonstrated to be caused by 
the rapid passage of the air through the outermost tail feathers 
which, even in this species, have the shafts stiff and sabre shaped, 
and the laminz of the web very long and firmly interlinked. 
In Europe Dresser, following Herr Meves, seems to assume 
that it is simply the normal contact with the air of the tail 
feathers in their rapid downward course that evolves the 
drumming ; but, though this may have some share in producing 
this sound, this latter is distinctly vibratory while the descent is 
even, and,as I have repeatedly noticed, the vibration of the 
wings, which are in constant motion during the descent, is 
synchronious with the vibration of the sound, so that I have no 
doubt that both wings and tail play an at least equal part in 
this remarkable performance. Probably the beats of the pinions 
force the air against which they strike with increased velocity 
backwards against the tail feathers. Anyhow of this Iam quite 
certain, vzg., that the sonnd actually arises from the tail feathers, 
and that the beats of the wing impart to it its vibratory 
character. 
The nests found in Kashmir were described* as cup-shaped 
hollows in soft, mossy, spongy turf, surrounded or overhung 
by rushes and grass, and sparingly lined with fine grass, and 
in one case the needle-like leaves of a horse tail (EAguzsetum ). 
The birds apparently do not commence laying in Kashmir 
until May, and much incubated eggs have been found late 
in June. In Europe eggs may, it is said, be found from the 
first week in April, though the first are generally laid about 
* IT may also quote what Hewitson says of the nests in England :— 
‘“‘The Snipe lays its eggs amongst rushes, grass, or heather, making—and this 
only at times-—a slight nest for their reception, by gathering together a few bits 
of heath and dry grass. The eggs of one bird are, I believe, invariably four in 
number. The egg is a remarkable production for a bird so small, being as large 
as that of the Pigeon and of the Rook, and considerably larger than those of the 
Magpie and Partridge, birds three or four times its own size and weight.” 
