of British Snipes.' 145 



of snipes on our marshes than were bred in the neighbour- 

 hood. This I have constantly regarded as a congregating and 

 migration of the snipes bred in the northern part of this kingdom. 



On the 26th of August 1825, the writer of this article 

 killed a specimen of the »Sc61opax major, and last year he 

 killed one on each of the following days in September, namely, 

 17th, 24th, and 27th, and on the latter day he killed a Jack 

 Snipe, the first he had seen in the season. With regard to 

 the habits of the »Sc61opax major, I have to observe, that, in 

 the language of sportsmen, it lies closer than the common 

 snipe, being difficult to flush, and, in rising, rarely emits any 

 cry ; its flight is heavy, resembling that of the woodcock, and 

 is continued for a short distance only. The early arrival of 

 the ^Scolopax major has sometimes induced me to imagine that 

 this species may breed in our island, although I have never 

 heard of an instance recorded of its nest having been found. 



The first arrival of the snipes, as I have before observed, I 

 regard as the emigration of our home birds. During the last 

 week in September and the first in October (especially if at- 

 tended with strong gales from the east and north-east), we 

 expect the second arrival. These I have always considered 

 as bred in foreign countries. At this period they sometimes 

 come to us in vast quantities, but are wary and difficult of 

 approach. They rise in flocks, emitting their shrieking cry, 

 and alarming others in their flight. The marshes they mostly 

 frequent at this time, are those on which neat stock or bullocks 

 have been feeding during the summer months ; the grubs of 

 5carabae^i, and other insects bred in the dung of cattle, af- 

 fording them abundant supply of their favourite food. At this 

 time they are accompanied by the Jack Snipe, whose haunts 

 are wet marshes, with uneven and mossy bottoms, and the 

 borders of alder rows. 



In the latter end of October, and during the month of No- 

 vember, great numbers frequent the broads (or river lakes) 

 with which this country abounds. They rest on beds of wa- 

 tercresses, and the broken remains of the 5cirpus lacustris 

 '(which had previously been cut by the marshmen, under 

 the name of holders, for chair bottoms), and the Jypha lati- 

 f6lia {vulgo Gladdon), and A^parganium ramosum [vulgo Black- 

 weed), which are used by coopers to put between the staves 

 of casks. On the floating remains of these and other aquatic 

 plants they lie in great numbers, and are to be approached 

 only by the means of a boat. In the early part of a morning, 

 when the whiteness of a hoar frost renders the snipes visible, 

 the marshmen secrete themselves in a small boat, behind a 

 neighbouring reed bush, and shoot at them sitting upon these 

 broken weeds, and have sometimes the good fortune to kill 



