/life 
LL At 5.20 a. Wilson* s Snipe got Lip from the marshy ground near the 
roost, emitting its "scape", rose to a great height, darting about 
as in the Spring flights, and bleated once . The bleat was of 
shorter duration than in the Spring, but otherwise the same. The 
rest of the while it uttered only the " scape " . Disappeared in a 
little while in the direction of Rock Meadow. Thoreau says (Excur- 
sions" ,p, 50 ) : "The late walker or sailor , in October evenings, may 
hear the murmuring s of the snipe circling over the meadows, the most 
spirit-like sound in nature". After reading this I went to the 
Fresh Pond marshes Oct. 12 on purpose to hear the Snipe, if possi- 
ble. At about 5.20 a Snipe rose from near Alewife Brook, "utter- 
ing its "scape" as it rose, and joined two others high up in the 
air, but I heard no bleating. But from the way they flew about it 
seemed as if they ought to bleat. You may well believe that I was 
pleased to confirm Thoreau last night when a Snipe was the last 
riling in my mind, I am going to F. Pond again to-night to see what 
I can hear ( as an Irishman would say). Can't you hear the Snipe 
bleat at Umbagog? Or is it too far North & cold? And can't you 
induce a Woodcock or two to sing? I can't help believing that they 
do-more or less, just as the Partridge drums and other birds sing 
0 ) 
in the autumn. 
