THE NATURALIST AND COLLECTOR 
69 
with various shades -of reddish-brown. 
The egg’s are quite unlike the eggs of 
all others of the snipe family, so far as 
I can learn, both in shape and mark¬ 
ings. They lack that pointed small 
end found in the eggs of most if not 
all the other species of the family, a 
shape which is well described by the 
word pyriform, meaning pear-shape. 
They differ but little in size, so far as 
I am able to judge, and about 1.53 x 
1.19 of inches is a fair average. Davie 
says that eggs have been reported 1.80 
long, but adds that he has never seen 
any as large. 
The coloration of the eggs is such 
that the nest is found with difficulty, 
even when we know that the treasures 
lie within a limited area. However 
the protective coloration of the eggs is 
as nothing compared to that of the 
plumage of the incubating bird in its 
resemblance to the surroundings. On 
flushing a bird from an incomplete set, 
I have repeatedly marked the place 
with readily recognized land-marks, 
and I have then returned after a few 
hours or days and looked for the bird 
and nest. 
It is indeed surprising how the crea¬ 
tures will spread out on the nest and 
resemble the appearance of the sur¬ 
roundings. This is so successfully 
accomplished, the bird being evidently 
aware of its security from observation, 
that it is not an easy matter to discover 
the setter even when we know the ex¬ 
act square yard of space in which the 
nest is situated. This is markedly so 
if the ground is broken and the surface 
uneven 
The bird when discovered on the 
nest is observed resting the end of its 
long beak on the leaves or ground, 
while its large dark watchful eye is 
seen to shine forth as it silently con¬ 
templates our movements. When the 
eggs are freshly laid the bird quits her 
nesting place while an intruder is still 
ten feet or more from her, but as in¬ 
cubation advances the setter appears 
less inclined to leave her eggs. I have 
repeatedly stepped within a yard of 
a nest before the old bird flushed, and 
in one instance I must have walked 
right over the bird, which arose after 
I had passed by. 
The flush of the setting bird is un¬ 
accompanied by the exhilerating whis¬ 
tle of the wings which stimulates the 
autumn gunner. The creature is bent 
on luring us from the spot and for 
this purpose barely keeps above the 
ground. The wings are flapped in a 
shiftless, ludicrous fashion, and the 
bird appears wounded and moves in a 
slow and dejected manner. Not in¬ 
frequently the ruse works well and the 
intruder follows the apparently sorely 
wounded bird, and of course to no pur¬ 
pose, as she will escape every time 
after enticing a person a little distance 
from the nest. 
I have not infrequently discovered 
the young birds from a day to a week 
or more old. They are queer little fel¬ 
lows, and to the unobservant bear but 
slight resemblance to the mature birds, 
but by the naturalist they are readily 
identified, more particularly by their 
long bills which is their chief claim of 
likeness to their parents. 
They are indeed pretty creatures at 
first and while in their downy coat but 
soon assume a rough appearance by 
the growth of pin-feathers. After a 
few days of home life they take to 
wandering about and often become 
separated like young robins. When 
large enough they scuttle away on 
being disturbed and will conceal 
themselves if given the opportunity, 
but this is not done with anything 
like the skill and expedition shown by 
