THE COMMON SNIPE 257 
been shot ina day. When disturbed on its feeding-ground, it rises 
without uttering any note, and usually drops in again, at no great 
distance, after the manner of the Jack Snipe. It may be distin- 
guished by its larger size, and by carrying its tail spread like a fan. 
In the northern countries where it breeds it is found most commonly 
in the meadows after hay-harvest, and as it is much prized for the 
delicacy of its flesh it is a favourite object of sport. It is remarkable 
for being always in exceedingly good condition, a remark which 
applies to specimens procured in this country as well as those shot 
in Sweden. The nest, which has rarely been seen, is placed in a 
tuft of grass, and contains four eggs. The Zoologist once mentioned 
the fact of four solitary Snipes being killed in the county of Durham 
in August, and two of these were young birds, scarcely fledged. 
THE COMMON SNIPE 
GALLINAGO CZ#LESTIS 
Upper plumage very like the last ; chin and throat reddish white ; lower parts 
white, without spots; flanks barred transversely with white and dusky ; 
tail of fourteen feathers. Length eleven and a half inches. Eggs light 
greenish yellow, spotted with brown and ash. 
THE Common Snipe is a bird of very general distribution, being 
found in all parts of the eastern hemisphere, from Ireland to Japan, 
-and from Siberia to the Cape of Good Hope. It is common also 
in many parts of America, especially Carolina, and is frequent in 
many of the American islands. In Britain, Snipes are most numer- 
ous in the winter, their numbers being then increased by arrivals 
from high latitudes, from which they are driven by the impossi- 
bility of boring for food in ground hardened by frost or buried be- 
neath snow. In September and October large flocks of these birds 
arrive in the marshy districts of England, stopping sometimes for 
a short time only, and then proceeding onwards; but being like 
many other birds, gregarious at no other time than when making 
their migrations, when they have arrived at a district where they 
‘intend to take up their residence, they scatter themselves over 
marsh land, remaining in each other’s neighbourhood perhaps, but 
showing no tendency to flock together. Their food consists of the 
creeping things which live in mud, and to this, it is said by some, 
they add small seeds and fine vegetable fibre ; but it is questionakle 
whether this kind of food is not swallowed by accident, mixed up 
with more nourishing diet. The end of their beak is furnished 
with a soft pulpy membrane, which in all probability is highly 
B.RB, S 
