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| Snipe - correspondent's pet bird made friends with a spaniel |
The following letter appeared in an 1847 edition of The Zoologist journal.
A TAME SNIPE
Sir -
It seems not to be generally known that the common snipe is capable of being domesticated.
Bewick, in his History of British Birds makes no allusion to the subject.
In Yarrell's work, bearing the same title, it is incidentally mentioned that "a snipe, slightly wounded in one wing was kept in confinement for some time and would eat nothing but earthworms".
Whether any other naturalist has succeeded in preserving the animal alive I am unable to say.
On Friday, the 30th of October, while some men were out in the fields in this neighbourhood, amusing themselves with catching small birds with a fly-net, they secured a full-grown snipe which came into my possession on the following day.
The head was partially denuded of feathers in consequence of the bird having struggled against the bars of a cage, through impatience at being confined.
However, it made no effort to escape when held in the hand, and would even stand quietly on the knee, drink water out of a glass, and fish up worms from the bottom.
I have now had this singular pet for more than two months, and, to all appearance, it is perfectly reconciled to its novel mode of life.
During the late continuance of severe frost, there seemed every probability of its dying of hunger as earthworms were not to be procured, and, like the specimen noticed by Mr. Yarrell, it at first refused to take any other kind of nourishment.
However, necessity soon prevailed, insomuch that the raw flesh of the hare and rabbit, together with tripe cut into narrow strips, have been taken into favour, but the ordinary kinds of butchers' meat are rejected.
Earthworms remain decidedly the favourite article of diet, and of these it consumes a quart in three or four days.
The habits of this creature are surprisingly familiar, considering its commonly supposed irreclaimable nature.
During the night, it reposes quietly in a cage, standing on one leg, with the head under the wing.
By day, however, a desire to be enlarged is signified by an incessant striking of the bill and head against its prison wires.
When released, it flies about the rooms and passages, walks on the table, is pleased at being noticed by those about it, and is on terms of great intimacy with a little spaniel lapdog.
No situation appears to accord so well with the animal's ideas of comfort as a place on a stool before the fire.
Thus accommodated to its liking, and especially if at the same time fondled with the voice and hand, or enjoying the close proximity of its canine associate, it emits a subdued whistling note, sometimes, but very rarely, varied with an approach to a twitter.
The food is usually given to it in a glass of water.
Wherever the vessel is placed, all that is requisite to secure prompt attendance is to scrape against the edge with a metallic substance.
In feeding, it has great difficulty in seizing a worm, or any substance of similar form, that may happen to be lying on a flat surface.
After repeated unsuccessful attempts, the morsel is at last got lengthwise between the mandibles, and disappears.
Strangers are readily distinguished from the people of the house, as shown by an evident difference of manner indicative of alarm, manifested in their presence.
Should any one be too rude in his advances, the bird, in endeavouring to avoid him, has a peculiar way of erecting the tail feathers and turning them all in the opposite direction.
It likes to be kept clean, and devotes frequent attention to the smooth and orderly arrangement of the plumage.
Although, in the opinion, at least, of Milne-Edwards, the visage of the genus Scolopax bears the stamp of stupidity, some of the foregoing circumstances indicate the possession of as large a share of intelligence on the part of the present convert to civilisation, as most of the feathered race are capable of testifying by their actions to our apprehension.
The specimen is now in the Earl of Derby's aviary at Knowsley.
C. Cogswell
Warrington
Lancashire
Warrington
Lancashire
January 8, 1847.
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