JACK SNIPE 281 
zag manner that characterises the flight of the preceding 
species. 
Votce.—In Lapland in the spring-season the drumming 
of the Jack Snipe has been compared to ‘“‘ the cantering of 
a horse over a hard road’’ (Wolley). At other seasons, 
the bird appears to be remarkably silent, though occa- 
sionally it gives utterance to a short note softly produced, 
and only heard at very close quarters. 
Food.—Small worms, grubs, caterpillars, and insects, 
form the staple diet ; particles of sand are also swallowed. 
Like its congeners, the Jack Snipe frequently changes its 
quarters for feeding-purposes, but seems to depend but little 
on the lght from the moon to aid it on its nocturnal 
flights. It is a hardy little bird, usually plump and in 
good condition, even during severe frosty weather. 
Nest.—The nest is built on or near marshy ground, 
amid grasses—of which it is largely composed—and other 
herbage. The eggs, usually four in number, are of a light 
olive ground-colour, marked with dark brown spots and 
streaks, and are very large in proportion to the size of the 
bird. 
Incubation takes place during the month of June. 
Geographical distribution—The Jack Snipe breeds in 
Lapland, Scandinavia, Northern and Arctic Russia, as 
well as in Siberia. On migration in autumn and winter 
it spreads over the Kuropean Continent to North Africa, 
while it occurs over Temperate and Southern Asia and 
as far east as Japan. 
DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial—Top of head, blackish- 
brown, limited on either side by a conspicuous light buff 
line, which curves from the base of the beak over the eye 
to the hind-neck ; immediately above the eye is a shorter 
dark streak; face, greyish, marked with two dark lines, 
the upper extending from the beak to the front of the 
eye, the lower from the beak to the ear; throat, neck, 
and breast, streaked and spotted with shades of grey and 
brown ; flanks and under tail-coverts, striped with brown 
and white; abdomen and lower breast, white; the mark- 
ings on the back and wings closely resemble those of the 
Common Snipe, but in the Jack Snipe there is a large 
