388 THE PAINTED SNIPE. 
they were raised as high as eight or ten inches from ground, 
and supported by the grass in which they were built. 
“Of the various situations they were found in, I may men- 
tion as one of the most common the raised footpaths which 
so often intersect these rice fields. In the rains the sides of 
the paths become overgrown with grass, and in this grass the 
nest is often built. Another favourite place is the short, dark 
green rushy grass that grows by the sides of tanks, and in 
swampy ground. This, perhaps, is ¢ze most favourite place 
of all, and in many of the nests, found in this situation, the 
blades of grass were drawn together over the top of the nest 
so asto form a sort of canopy as in some nests of Porzana 
akool, Another favourite spot is a rice field that has been 
ploughed up and left unplanted for some time until the 
grass begins to grow over it. 
“One nest I discovered was placed under a low bush (about 
one foot high) growing in short grass in swampy ground by the 
side of a tank. Another nest I found by the side of a public road 
on the borders of a rice field. A small pool of water, about 
twelve feet square, had become almost dry, and some short, 
dark-green, rushy grass had sprung up. In this grass a pair of 
Painted Snipe built their nest. 
“ The nest consists generally of a more or less substantial pad 
of sedge or wet grass, in a hollow in the ground, sometimes alto- 
gether exposed, sometimes under cover of a tussock of grass, or 
with blades of grass growing over it. 
“ The old birds are almost always near the nest, and usually 
lie close, rising heavily when flushed, and settling again after 
a short flight. *y got so accustomed to their mode of rising 
at last, that I could almost always say, when the birds got 
up, whether there was a nest or not. They usually run a 
yard or two from the nest before rising, but on more than one 
occasion I have seen a bird slip quietly off the nest, and squat 
by the side of it until flushed. 
“ The eggs are always, as far as my experience goes, four 
in number. 
“The following is the detail of the nests taken by me 
this season :— 
24th August 1876, a nest containing 4 fresh eggs. 
26th i = do. 4 do. 
os do. 4 about to hatch. 
12th September mn do. 4 fresh eggs. 
17th 99 or do. 4 do. 
22nd aN 7" do. 2 do. 
23rd es 6 do. 4 do. 
23rd 5) 6 do. 4 do. 
27th i, e do. 4 do. 
“In addition to these nests I found young broods, just 
hatched, on the 26th August, and again on the 26th September. 
The chicks are buff, striped with dark brown, much in colour 
