
The later arrivals (presumably females for the most part) 
arrive singly over a period of two to three weeks. There is then 
a great deal of activity, vocal "yakking", aerial chases in which 
twos and threes participate, and winnowing. The arched-wing dis- 
nlay described by Sutton in his "Notes on the nesting of Wilson's 
snipe in Crawford County, “ennsylvania" (Wilson Bull. 35:191-202, 
1923) was observed frequently, and appeared to take place only 
when a female was nearby. 
Winnowing by the male annears to rise to a pitch after the 
arrival of the female. The pitch is maintained until soon after 
the female begins to incubate and then decreases until it is 
negligible by the time the young are hatched. After lengthy ob- 
servation I have reached the conclusion that females winnow only 
during the early phases of courtship. I have never recorded one 
doing so during incubation or even when disturbed with the brood. 
Rarly in the season five or even six winnowing birds may be re- 
corded at night from a single locality when four was the normal 
number after the first excitement caused by the presence of fe- | 
males had levelled off. However, this may be because additional 
males are attracted into the area during the early phase of 
courtship. 
The following instances are proof that females winnow: 
Two birds which had been yakking and winnowing together dur- 
ing the early evening of May 17, 1954, at Swift Current alighted 
together on a reed bed and were collected. One was a male and 
one a female. 
A bird was observed yakking and winnowing sporadically in 
early evening on May 18, 195), at Swift Current. It was soon 
joined by another, presumably a male, which mounted above it in 
narrow circles and winnowed. The first bird soon afterward came 
down slowly, alighted near our tent, and was collected. It was 
a female. 
Two birds were doing a considerable amount of yakking and 
winnowing, mostly at low level, at Salmonier about 9 p. m. on 
May 4, 1955. In alow sortie, they became enmeshed in the mist 
net. One was a male, the other a female. 
Two birds were yakking and winnowing in close proximity dur- 
ing the morning of May 22, 1956, at Colinet. One was clearly 
trying to force the other to the ground. Soon afterwards they 
alighted together and copulation took place. 
