THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
Eggs . — ^The eggs, almost invariably four in number, are nearly always 
pyriform in shape, rarely more or less oval. Like those of all waders, they 
are neatly arranged with the smaller ends together in the middle of the 
nest, so as to be covered in the smallest possible space. The ground- 
colour varies from pale greenish to buff or brownish -olive of various 
shades, marked with large spots and blotches of dark brown or choco- 
late-brown, and underlying purplish-grey. The markings are usually 
most numerous about the larger end, often confluent, forming an irregular 
cap, and are usually disposed obliquely from left to right. The average 
dimensions are 1*6 in. by 1*1 in. 
The period of incubation lasts about sixteen days, and it seems probable 
that two broods are occasionally reared in a season, for young snipe have 
been found as late as the middle of August. It is not known if the male 
bird takes any part in the duties of incubation, but there seems to be a 
general consensus of opinion that he does not. 
The beautiful little downy nestlings are able to leave the nest soon after 
they are hatched, and are extremely active in their movements. It seems 
possible that they are sometimes carried by the female on her back in 
moments of danger, for I was told by a trustworthy and observant keeper 
in Sutherland that he had actually seen this take place within a few yards 
of him. He suddenly came on a female snipe accompanied by nestlings, 
and saw her deliberately squat down while one of the nestlings mounted 
on her back, and she then flew slowly off with it. Such an instance may be 
exceptional, and I have never heard of a similar case, but as the man 
who actually saw it was a trustworthy witness, it seems worthy of 
record. 
General habits . — Bogs and marshes, the rushy margins of streams, 
lakes and ponds, water-meadows and sewage-farms, in fact any spot 
where there is soft soil in the vicinity of water, will hold snipe. Sometimes 
they are met with in grass -fields and on ploughed lands, or again in 
turnip or potato -fields, and in all sorts of unexpected places which at 
first sight seem quite unsuited to their tastes, but they are never found 
far from water, which is essential to their mode of life, not only for drinking 
purposes, but for the frequent washing of the bill when feeding. In this 
respect they resemble the woodcock. The snipe cannot probe for worms 
in ground which is submerged, and, consequently, a very slight increase 
in water may cause places which a few days previously were full of birds 
to be entirely deserted. This, no doubt, is the secret of their apparently 
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