BRITISH BIRDS 



bird's forehead. If the wet ground be closely examined, the footprints may be seen 

 and the small borings with irregular crater-like edges, made by the working of the 

 bill, which is so wonderfully adapted to secure the worms, larvae, and insects on 

 which this species feeds. When put up, the usual cry, which has been syllabled as 

 " scape, scape," is uttered, and when the young have left the nest I have noticed a 

 softer double chuckling note emitted by the parent bird as it circled round the 

 marsh at a considerable height. 



By what means the "drumming" or "bleating" of the Snipe — which has given 

 the bird its name of " heather-bleater " in Scotland — is produced, has for long 

 been a puzzle to naturalists ; it is certainly not vocal like the other notes, but is 

 apparently caused by the vibration of the two stiff and peculiarly shaped outer tail- 

 feathers, though I should not like to say that the wings may not have some con- 

 nection with the sound produced, as they appear to quiver during the performance. 

 Rising to a height, the bird swings around in wide circles, shooting downwards 

 and again ascending, and it is during this downward stoop that the sound, which 

 has some resemblance to the bleating of a goat, is heard. 



The drawing on Plate 65, made from sketches taken in the spring of 19 14 after 

 watching the bird, shows the position of the outer tail-feathers, spread out and 

 separated only during the descent. 



Snipe are much affected by weather conditions, and in times of severe frost 

 suffer considerably, when they frequent the open spring-heads or leave the locality 

 altogether. 



A dark form of the present bird, known as Sabine's Snipe, was formerly con- 

 sidered to be a distinct species, but is now known to be only a variety of the 

 Common Snipe. This has very seldom been obtained except in the British 

 Islands. 



THE JACK SNIPE. 



Gallinago gallinula, Linnaeus. 

 Plate 65. 



This little bird usually arrives in the British Islands in September and October 

 and remains till March or April, when it leaves for its breeding haunts among the 

 swamps of Northern Europe and Asia, chiefly within the Arctic Circle. It has 

 never been known to nest with us. In winter it migrates southwards to the 

 Mediterranean countries, when it also visits Africa, India, and China. 



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