JACK-SNIPE 



139 



The northern limit of the range of this snipe in Scandinavia is the 

 same as that of the typical species, namely 70' latitude. From 

 Scandinavia the breeding-range extends southwards to Holland and 

 the north of Germany, and eastwards to the valley of the Yenisei, 

 where the northern limit is between 66 and 6'j'' latitude. To the 

 British Islands the great snipe is a casual visitor in autumn, mostly in 

 the shape of immature birds, which are less easy to distinguish from 



SOLITARY SNIPE (MALE). 



the ordinary species than are adults. The eastern and southern 

 counties of England are the districts where this snipe is least uncommon ; 

 in Scotland it is very rare, and from Ireland onh' a dozen examples 

 were recorded up to the close of last century. There is nothing calling 

 for special notice in regard to the habits of this snipe. 



Although the evidence does not seem altogether free from doubt, it is 

 not improbable that two or three examples of the North American 

 Wilson's snipe {Gallinago ivilsoni) which also has si.xteen tail-feathers, 

 may have been taken in the British Isles. 



From the circumstance that the lower border of 

 its breast-bone, or sternum, has four in place of the 

 usual two indentations, the jack-snipe is sometimes 

 separated from the other species under the name 

 Liuinocryptes galliiiago, but this appears somewhat unnecessar}'. In 



Jaek-Snipe 



(Gallinago 

 gallinulaj. 



