33
Concord, Mass.
1897
April
No 8
(Gallinago delicata) much more slowly at the rate of about
three to each two seconds. So far as I have observed, however,
the rate never varies during any one cackling period.
The tone is usually rather dry and harsh but occasionally
it is soft and almost liquid - a keep rather than a kep
sound. The cackle is very penetrating in quality for
it may be easily heard half-a-mile away where there
is no wind.
  The drumming carries even further under favorable
conditions - to quite three quarters of a mile when the
air is still. It varies considerably in tone and fulness[sic]
with different birds & to some extent with the same
bird.
  On the 27th I heard a Snipe drum several times
at about 9 A.M. the sky being overcast but not
densely cloudy at the time. On the morning of the
29th, a bird drummed almost continuously over
the meadow opposite Birch Island from 6 to 8 o'clock
although the weather was clear and the sun, after
7 o'clock, very warm. At first there was no wind
but a fresh breeze from the N. sprang up about
7.45. Although we (Mr. Faxon was with me) stood
for a long time on the shore at Birch Island using
our glasses freely we did not once get our eyes
on the bird & unfortunately we had no means of
crossing the river. At times, however, the Snipe must
have come within 200 yards or less judging by the
sound of his wings while drumming. He cackled
every now and then. We heard him first from
just behind Ball's Hill a distance of fully half a mile.
[delete]On the evening of[/delete] He stopped drumming at 8 A.M. About
half-an-hour before sunset he was at it again keeping it up until
dark.