648 THE LONG-BILLED DUW ITCHER. 



Besides ils semi-nucuirnal habits and fasliion of ])V(iliiii!; llie nmd for 

 food, the Wilson Snijie closel}' resembles the Woodcock in the manner nf its 

 love-making. Indeed, never having had op])orlunit y nf simultaneous cnm- 

 parison, 1 cannot now distinguish in memc>r\- the characteristic hooting nntes 

 of the Snipe from those of the Woodcock. 1 ha\e seen the former, not only 

 at the fa\'orite hours of dawn and sunset, but at high noon as well, hovering 

 o\'er a pasture swamp patch, or cutting mysterious figures in high air. and 

 uttering e\'er and amm the most lugubrious, lo\'e-lorn strains, like unfocused 

 flute-notes. This passion song of the Jack-snipe has been called drumming, 

 but the term is inappropriate. When the nesting season is on the male betrays 

 his anxietv bv resorting frequently to commanding positions on fence-posts 

 and stumps. Sometimes, when greatly excited, the bird will utter a harsh, 

 guttural cackling or bleating note. On such occasions, when the l)ird is settled 

 on a post regarding you with sober, down-turned beak and watchful eye, 

 the effect is irresistibl\- comical. And you might as well laugh, fur you can't 

 find the nest — ni )t nnce in ;i dozen times. 



No. 258. 



LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. 



232. Macrorhamphus scolopaceiis (Say). 



Synonyms. — Wksti-irn Dnwrrcnici^ \\'i:sti:rx l\i:n-i;Ki-;.\STED S.xii'K. Ria)- 

 Biaj.iEi-1 SxiPE. 



Description. — .Idiilt in suiiiiiicr: L'pperparts black, finely mottled and 

 Streaked with pale ciniianion-rufous, and with some white: rump and upper tail- 

 coverts white, finely and heavily marked with briiaill\- crescentic, blackish spots, 

 and sometimes tinged with ochraceous ; tail barred with black and white or with 

 black and ochraceous; lesser wing-coverts light grayish lirdwn ; primaries dusky; 

 the greater wing-coverts and secondaries varied by white margining, shaft-marks 

 and tips: a chain of dark specks from bill to eye; belly whitish; remaining under- 

 parts rich cinnamon, finely but not heavily speckled im sides of head and neck, 

 and across breast with blackish ; thickly barred with the same on sides and thanks ; 

 axillars and lining of wings white, striped and barred, or with V-shaped mark- 

 ings of dusky: bill and legs greenish black. Adult in -.^•iiitcr: Pale cinnamon- 

 color wanting; above brownish gray, the feathers with darker centers; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts black and white without ochraceous; indistinct superciliary 

 white stri])e; underparts white. — clear on belly, shaded with ashy gray on throat 

 and breast: the sides and under tail-coverts barred with blackish. Length 11.00- 

 12.50 (279.4-317.5) ; wing 5.72 ( 145.3) : tail 2.20 ( 55.0 I : bill 2.-2 (60.1 ) : tarsus 

 1.53 i3,^.n). ■ ' ' ' ■ 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size; |)ale cinnauKni prrdi iminant above and 

 rich cinnamon below in siminu-r ; fnu' umttling (if back in cither plumage; lung 

 hill; beach-hannting habits. 



