28o THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Scolopax. 



Sub-family SCOL OP A CINAL. 



JACK SNIPE. 



Scolopax gallinula, Linnceus. 



(British : Common autumn and winter migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, June. 



Breeding area : Northern Palsearctic region. The 

 Jack Snipe breeds on the tundras above the limits of 

 forest growth in Arctic Europe and Asia ; on the swamps 

 of the Dovre-fjeld and Lapland, and in Western Russia 

 to as far south as St. Petersburg. In Asia it apparently 

 breeds as high as lat. 70°, and probably as low, in some 

 districts, as lat. 6o^ 



Breeding habits : The Jack Snipe reaches its more 

 southerly breeding places in May, but does not arrive in 

 the extreme northern ones until June. It is a solitary 

 bird, and breeds in isolated pairs. The Jack Snipe 

 apparently mates in spring, and after arriving in its 

 bre?ding haunts. It is doubtful whether the male drums 

 like the Common Snipe at this season, although much 

 of its courtship takes place in the air. I should say, 

 judging from the description given by Wolley and 

 Naumann, that the note is similar to that uttered by 

 the Great Snipe under sexual excitement, and made in 

 the same way by the bird rapidly opening and shutting 

 its beak. Our information respecting the nidification 

 of the Jack Snipe was principally obtained by Wolley 

 in Lapland. He found nests of this bird, after a most 

 persevering and patient search, placed in dry spots 

 amongst the sedge and grass close to the borders of the 

 more open swamps. They were mere hollows lined 

 with a little dry grass, cquisetuin^ and dead withered 



