190 PR^COCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



Mr. Eatty writes us that, -while the Snipe returns to Long Island from the north 

 in September, it is most numerous in October, and that it sometimes remains until 

 very late in the season. He killed seven on the 28th of October, 1872, the ground 

 being frozen hard at the time, and having been so for several days. The birds were 

 in high grass, in an elevated part of the meadows. He also states that a tew must 

 breed in Connecticut and Massachusetts, as he has seen the young when only a few 

 days old, early in June, near Springfield and iSTew Haven. Mr. Boardman also in- 

 forms us that he has found the Snipe near St. Stephen's on the 14th of November, 

 when the thermometer stood at 14° above zero. 



Mr. J. A. Allen found this species exceedingly abundant in September in the Valley 

 of Great Salt Lake ; and ^Ir. Kidgway' speaks of it as a common spring and autumnal 

 bird over all the wet, grassy portions of the interior, both in river valleys and in 

 mountain parks. According to Dr. Cooper, it is abundant in the middle and northern 

 parts of California during winter ; but few go to the southern part of the State, on 

 account of its greater dryness. He met Avitli it along the Mojave and Colorado 

 rivers as late as April, and thinks that this bird leaves the lower country about the 

 1st of May. He saw it about Lake Tahoe in September, and was informed that it 

 breeds there. He also saw this species at Cania, on Prairie Creek, on the eastern 

 border of the Columbia Plains, about the end of September ; and Mr. E. Browne also 

 includes this species in his list of the birds found on Vancouver Island. 



According to Giraud, this species is knoAvn on Long Island as the English Snipe. 

 It arrives on that island early in March, and after spending a short time in tlie 

 marshy groves in recruiting, it passes on to the north to breed. It returns in Sep- 

 tember with its young, and during the autumn gets into excellent condition, and is 

 highly prized as game. It is usually found on low, wet meadows and boggy grounds. 

 When flushed it moves off in an irregular manner ; but having gone a short dis- 

 tance, its flight becomes more steady. This is a somewhat difficult bird to shoot. 

 It remains in the autumn until the ground becomes frozen, when it passes on to the 

 south. In its migrations it flies high, and at intervals it is said to utter a peculiar 

 cry, which is described as bleating. 



A writer in " Doughty's Cabinet " (Vol. I. p. 87) states that near Philadelphia the 

 Snipe season commences in Alarch and continues until the middle of April. The 

 birds are poor on their first arrival, but soon become fat on the rich feeding-grounds 

 in that vicinity, in all the low lands that border the Delaware and the Schuylkill 

 rivers. To shoot Snipe dexterously is a difficult art to acquire, and demands both 

 cool judgment and some deliberation. The sudden and silent manner in which this 

 bird rises from the ground, and the zigzag character of its flight, seem to make cal- 

 culation almost impossible ; and an inexperienced sportsman is apt to fire too soon. 

 In rising, the Snipe usually attains the height of about six feet, and then darts 

 off in this uncertain manner, uttering a peculiar cry ; after continuing in this way 

 about twenty yards, it follows a straight course, ascending un.til it reaches a certain 

 height, when it gradually descends, when near the earth dropping suddenly into the 

 grass. 



Tlie true way to hunt the Snipe is said to be with the wind, as they lie closer 

 to the sportsman, and will immediately after rising head the wind, and present a 

 convenient cross-shot. It is also recommended that the shot be reserved until the 

 irregularity of the bird's flight is over, this rarely continuing for more than twenty 

 yards. At times the Snipe is shy, and difficult to approach, springing up beyond the 

 reach of shot ; and at other times it is so unsuspicious as not to fly until almost 

 trodden upon. The reasons for this great difference are not satisfactorily explained. 



