We have vast flocks of female chaffinches all the 

 winter, with hardly any males among them. 



When you say that in breeding time the cock- 

 snipes make a bleating noise, and I a drumming 

 sound (perhaps I should have rather said a hum- 

 ming), I suspect we mean the 

 same thing. However while 

 they are playing about on 

 the wing they certainly 

 make a loud piping with 

 their mouths : but 

 whether that bleating 

 or humming is ventril- 

 oquous, or proceeds 

 from the motion of 

 their wings, I cannot 

 say ; but this I know, 

 that when this noise 

 happens, the bird is al- 

 i ' . ways descending, and his 



• wings are violently agi- 



' tated. 



Soon after the lapwings 

 have done breeding they con- 

 A bullfinch. grcgatc, and leaving the moors 



and marshes, betake them- 

 selves to downs and sheep-walks. 



Two years ago last spring the little auk was found 



alive and unhurt, but fluttering and unable to rise, in 



192 



