SNIPES. 319 
the breast white. It is persecuted by some of the small birds of prey, 
such as the Merlin, the Hobby, and the Kestrel. But, among all its 
enemies, man is most to be dreaded, for he looks upon it as nearly 
equal to the Woodcock, and for this reason pursues it with the greatest 
perseverance. But the sportsman pays dearly for his pleasure, as he 
frequently contracts rheumatism at an age when most persons are 
still vigorous, independent of the falls sure to be encountered on the 
perfidious surface of the bogs and marshes which might perchance 
> —— ~.  SSS, 
Fig. 123.—1. Jack Snipe. 2. Common Snipe. 
even bury him in their muddy depths. Besides the drawback of 
rheumatism and the contretemps attending snipe-shooting, it is accom- 
panied by another difficulty. Immediately on the bird flushing it 
makes two or three sudden twists, which often baffle even the. best 
shots : proficiency can only be attained by long experience, aided by 
rapidity and steadiness of hand and eye. - 
The Great Snipe is about a third larger than that of which we have 
just been speaking. : 
The Jack or Deaf Snipe is thus named because it fails to notice 
the approach of the sportsman, and gets up literally under his feet. 
This is the smallest of the European species. 
