A FEATHERED DRUMMER. 
141 
There, another has sprung from among yellow-flowered mangolds 
that profusely cover the marsh. Upwards slanting, on rapidly 
vibrating wings, he shoots, uttering the while his shrill, two-noted cry. 
Tissick, tissicJc, quoth the Snipe, as he leaves the bog. Now in 
silence he winds his way, until at length having reached the height 
of perhaps a thousand feet, he zigzags along, emitting a louder and 
shriller cry of zoo-zee, zoo-zee, zoo-zee ; which over, varying his action, 
he descends, on quivering pinions, curving towards the earth with 
surprising speed, while from the rapid beats of his wing the tre- 
mulous air gives to the ear what at first seems the voice of distant 
thunder. This noise some have likened to the bleating of a goat at 
a distance on the hill side, and thus have named the bird the Air- 
Goat, and Air-Bleater. The sound, I think, is evidently produced by 
the rapid action of the wings, which, during its continuance, are seen 
to be in tremulous motion. It comes on the ear soon after the bird 
commences its descent, and ceases when, having gained the lowest 
part of the curve, it recovers itself, and ascends with a different and 
ordinary motion of its wings. I have never heard it under any other 
circumstances. Were it produced by the voice, it might be emitted 
when the bird is on the ground, or during its ordinary flight ; but 
should one hear it on the moor, he will invariably find it proceeds 
from on high. In this manner the Snipe may continue to amuse 
itself for perhaps an hour or more ; and sometimes in the clear sky, 
one may trace it until it mounts so high as to be. no longer per- 
ceptible. 
This drumming noise of the Snipe commences in April, and is conti- 
nued through the summer. It is altogether a solitary act, altliough several 
individuals may often be heard at the same time, and may be an ex- 
pression of the happiness of the bird, or an intimation of its presence 
to its mate while sitting upon her eggs. "We have no means of ascer- 
taining its object, nor has it been determined whether it be performed 
by the male only, or by the female also. When the bird has gone 
through his evolutions, he descends, often with astounding velocity, 
on partially extended and apparently motionless wings, diminishes 
his speed a little as he approaches the ground obliquely, and alights 
abruptly. 
A writer in 'London Society,' who signs liimself 
J. G. W., describing some of the denizens of the New 
Forest, thus relates his experience of the remarkable soiuid 
called ^ drumming,' which the Snipe produces ; how has 
long been a subject of dispute among naturalists. Although 
usually thought to resemble the distant roll of the military 
drum, it is more like, as J. G. W. says, the mingled whiz 
and hum of a slackened harp string : — 
Generally the flight of this bird is short and fitful, as is well known 
to all sportsmen, and seldom lasts more than a few minutes. But 
