300 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 
be here noticed also that in the “ Zoologist”’ for 1851 
(p. 3175) Mr. P. EH. Hansell, of Thorpe, near Norwich, 
recorded a supposed instance of the Great Snipe breed- 
ing in Norfolk, the particulars of which are thus 
given. “In the April of 1846, I found a nest of the 
great snipe containing four eggs, one of which is now 
in my collection ; the others were broken by a boy who 
was with me, whilst stepping into my boat. The nest 
was placed in a tuft of grass, in some marshes at 
Belaugh, near Wroxham, in this county. I had a good 
opportunity of observing both the birds, as they did not 
rise in the usual quick manner of the common snipe, 
but much more leisurely, and continued to hover round 
the nest for some little time.” In support of his state- 
ment, Mr. Hansell also says that “a male specimen of 
this bird was shot near Lowestoft, in Suffolk, the latter 
end of April”? in the same year. There is, however, a 
very large snipe occasionally met with im our marshes, 
which answers exactly to the description of Mr. Gould’s 
“russet”’ snipe, as given by that author in his “ Birds 
of Great Britain,” and to which I shall have occasion 
to refer more fully in my account of the common species. 
Having shot this bird myself on one occasion, and seen 
two others on the wing, I can speak to its great 
resemblance in size and action, when flushed, to the 
great snipe. It utters no cry on rising, and flies slowly 
and steadily, and would, I believe, by most sportsmen 
be taken for the great snipe until brought to bag, 
when the white of the under parts of the plumage 
at once determines the species, in spite of its bulk 
and extraordinary length of bill. May not the birds 
seen by Mr. Hansell have belonged to this large race 
of S. gallinago, whose eggs most probably would be 
proportionate in size? Any how, there seems to be’ no 
doubt that the egg taken as above described, and 
which has been presented by Mr. Hansell to the 
