130 THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 



grass. The eggs are generally four in number, of a gray 

 or yellow color, with brown spots most numerous at the 

 large end. 



The birds breed in the far north and go in winter as far 

 south as South America. They are very abundant along 

 the New Jersey coast in the early part of May and again 

 from July 15 to September 15, and are also found in 

 marshy meadows, shores of creeks, rivers and lakes. 



Their food is composed of insects and small shellfish. 



Saiulpiitcv^ Pectoral^ Kriekcr^ or fwrtiss Snipe. 



— Length, eight and a half inches, the female being a 

 little larger; bill, yellow at the base, the rest black, one 

 and one-tenth inches in length; above, brownish buff, 

 streaked with black; rump, uniform black or darkbrowii; 

 tail feathers, light grayish brown, center pair darker; long 

 wing feathers, dark brown; throat and belly, white; 

 breast, sides of head and neck, huffish or grayish white, 

 streaked with dusky. Young birds have the backs dark- 

 er, witli less buff edgings to the feathers; legs and feet, 

 yellowish. In Avinter there are no brown tints on the 

 upper parts and the breast is of a soiled white. 



The nest is built in a tuft of grass. The eggs are gen- 

 erally four in number, of a greenish drab with brown 

 spots, and one and a half by one inch in size. 



The birds breed in tlie far north and spend the winter 

 in South America. They are regular transients in New 

 Jersey, numerous along the coast, but also occasionally 

 appearing in the interior, generally in small parties. 

 They fly nortli during the month of April, but are more 

 numerous in New Jersey during the fall migration, from 

 August 15 to October 1. 



Their food consists of aquatic insects and small shell- 

 fish. 



SatifJitiiter^ tie tl -backed., Blarkbreast^ L,eail- 

 back^ or Winter Snipe, l^ength, eight and a half 

 inches; extent, fifteen inches; bill, slightly curved, black, 



