BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 



245 



WILSON'S SNIPE (GaUinago delicata). 

 Common or local names: Snipe; English Snipe; Jack Snipe. 



Length.— 11.25 inches; bill (average), 2.50. 



j^dult. — Crown dark brown or blackish, split along center by a light buffy 

 line, and separated by a buffy stripe from a blackish line running from 

 bill through eye; back and wings a mixture of dark brown or blackish 

 and reddish brown, tan or buff, striped longitudinally with light buffy 

 or whitish; wings brown and dusky, with light buffy markings on coverts; 

 tail ending in a broad bar of reddish brown crossed near tip with black- 

 ish and tipped with whitish; outer tail feathers pale buff or whitish, 

 barred with black; tail coverts barred; throat gray; neck and upper 

 breast pale brown, mottled and streaked with blackish; flanks gray, 

 barred with black; lower breast and belly white; legs and feet very 

 pale ashy green. 

 Field Marks. — A bird of fresh-water marshes mainly; may be known by 



its long bill and erratic flight. 

 Yoies. — Call, heard when bird is startled and springs into flight, an un- 

 musical squeak resembling the syllables 'scape! 'scape! Kiik-kiik-kuk 

 uttered on the ground (Knight). 

 Nest. — A depression in grass or bog. 

 Eggs. — Usually four, pointed, olive brown, spotted and blotched with 



reddish brown mainly near larger end, about 1.55 by 1.08. 

 Season. — A common spring and fall migrant in April and early May, 

 September, October and even November; a few breed and probably 

 fewer still winter. 

 Range. — -^orth America and northern South America. Breeds from 

 northwestern Alaska, northern Mackenzie, central Keewatin and 

 northern Ilngava south to northern California, southern Colorado, 

 northern Iowa, northern Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; winters 



