. Field observations on British birds . en the bird is on the icing, never when it is on the ground, f * Game birds and Wild Fowl of Sweden and Norway, Lloyd, p. Hintz, Xaumannia. 1854, p. 2qo. who urged that the sound was produced vocally,asserted that the birds would bleat sometimes while perched upon trees.—Editor. 74 Snipe drumming 3. That it is only during a certain part of the tlight, namel\,the downward stoop, that the sound is produced, andthen when the feathers are held in certain definitepositions. I mav make matters plainer if I attempt to describe this peculiarflight hert\ Tl
. Field observations on British birds . en the bird is on the icing, never when it is on the ground, f * Game birds and Wild Fowl of Sweden and Norway, Lloyd, p. Hintz, Xaumannia. 1854, p. 2qo. who urged that the sound was produced vocally,asserted that the birds would bleat sometimes while perched upon trees.—Editor. 74 Snipe drumming 3. That it is only during a certain part of the tlight, namel\,the downward stoop, that the sound is produced, andthen when the feathers are held in certain definitepositions. I mav make matters plainer if I attempt to describe this peculiarflight hert\ Tle Snipe rises from the ground, and with bold sweeps, ascendsobli( till he reaches a considerable elevation, the wings beingfully opened, and the tail closed as in ordinary flight. Perhaps it utters its jick-jack note on the upward journey,perhaps it is silent—anyway, there is none of the vibratory drumming heard. Tlie height the bird attains is very variable :sometimes he soars up till almost out of sight ; at others, up to 40. Fig. 6. or 50 feet only : but he must rise a considerable distance in order toproduce the drumming. The Snipe having now reached the desired level, takes a sharp,downv/ard stoop, making an angle of about 45° with the he turns his head down for the phmge, he spreads his tail to theuttermost, at the same time elevating the fan somewhat over hisback (Fig. 6). The wings are half closed, and the shoulder-joint is locked andheld rigid. With the commencement of the downward stoop, thedrumming sound is heard (allowing, of course, for the time the soundmay take to travel to the observer) : it grows louder and louder asthe pace increases, reaches a maximum, and then begins to decreaseagain as the Snipe nears the end of the downward flight, and ceasessuddenly, perhaps 50 feet from the ground, as the bird sharply turnsits course, and goes off again on its ascending flight. Snipe drumming 75 So jou may \\atcli a bird, sonK^timcs for an hour or mor
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirdsgr, bookyear1920
