148 CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS OF SUFFOLK. 



Common Snipe, Gallinago media , Leach. 



S. and W. Cat. 47. — Catalogued only. 



Districts all ; recorded as common or abundant at Yarmouth, where 

 in the winters of 1829 and 1844 five hundred have been brought to 

 market in one day, the average number being about fifty a week during 

 the season from October to April (Paget, Stevenson), at Herringfleet 

 (Leathes), Leiston (Rope), Aldeburgh (Hele), Shotley (Kerry), and 

 Sudbury (King); sparingly at Finborough (R. J. Pettiward), Bacton 

 (A. B. Hemsworth), Gazeley (Tearle); about Cockfield (C. B.), and at 

 I ck worth (Lord John Hervey). A beautiful fawn-coloured variety 

 killed near Yarmouth Jan. 13, 1873 (H. Stevenson in Z. 2nd S. 3559). 

 A large specimen is in the possession of Mr. Bantock of Lavenham, it 

 was shot at Preston a few years ago; the plumage is that of the common 

 and not of the Great Snipe, which has bars throughout underneath the 

 body (C. B. !) ; another, a female, weighing six ounces and a quarter, 

 was shot in the first mere at Aldborough, Aug. 21, 1867 (Hele, Aid. 124, 

 who calls it Gould's Snipe ; the ordinary weight of the Common Snipe 

 is about four ounces). Col. Leathes shot a very dark specimen at 

 Herringfleet about 1870 (Leathes in lift.). These two last varieties 

 have been called Scolopax russata and S. Sabini respectively.* Nests have 

 been observed at Herringfleet (Col. Leathes), Aldeburgh, occasionally 

 (Hele), Westleton (Spalding MS.), Leiston (G. T. Rope in Z.), Redgrave 

 (Wilson MS.), Oakley (Clarke MS.), Melford (Capt. Bence v.v. ), Brandon 

 (F. Eorgate in Hit.), Thetford, Wangford, Cavenham, Elveden, and more 

 especially Barnhamf (A. Newton in Z. and v.v.), and at Tostock (Foster- 

 Melliar MS.). I observed many at Mildenhall in the summer (June 14) 

 of 1884 by the river, where it probably breeds. 



The numbers of this bird are being continually diminished 

 in consequence of drainage and other agricultural improve- 

 ments, but as late as 1879, two gentlemen shooting all day, 

 brought into Col. Leathes' larder at Herringfleet, no less 

 than 103 Snipe, most of which were full Snipe (Urn. 

 Notes on N. H. 3, Lond. 1884). 



* Mr. Rarting, who in his Handbook a piece of low land, only a few acres in 



retains Gallinago Sabini (Vigors) as a extent, was an evergreen boggy spot, 



distinct species now inclines to believe frequented by Snipes all the year round, 



that it ought to be regarded as a melanism there being in the breeding season from a 



of the common species ( Proc. Z. Soc. dozen to twenty pairs. About 184.5 the 



1877, p. 533). See H. Saunders' Yarrell place was drained, and the Snipes com- 



iii., 347, 350,*4th. Ed. pletely disappeared. (See Stev. B. of N 



ii , 306 7 note). 



■f Here, more than forty years ago, on 



