436 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



the South at about the same time, and has many of the 

 habits and characteristics of the other bird. It is found 

 in New England only as a spring and autumn visitor, 

 very rarely breeding here, but passing the season of incuba- 

 tion in higher latitudes. It frequents the fresh-water 

 meadows, where it usually lies concealed during the day, 

 only moving about in dark weather and in the night. In 

 the spring, while with us, it appears to be pairing; and, 

 although associating in small detached flocks, they are most 

 often found in pairs by themselves. It is during this 

 season that the male performs his well-known gyrations in 

 the air : he ascends to a considerable height, early in the 

 evening, and, almost in the manner of the Night-hawk, 

 described on a preceding page, dives towards the earth, 

 uttering his bleating cry, and peculiar rumbling sound. 

 This species breeds sometimes in the northern portions of 

 New England. It forms a loose nest of grass and a few 

 leaves, on the ground, in a bog or wet swampy thicket ; 

 and, about the first week in May, the female* lays three or 

 four eggs. These are more pyriform in shape than the pre- 

 ceding, and average about 1.44 by 1.15 inch in dimensions. 

 Their color is an olivaceous-drab, marked with spots of 

 brown, which are, at the greater end, confluent into blotches, 

 which almost entirely hide the ground-color. 



The Snipe has been known to breed in Massachusetts ; 

 but the occurrence is very rare, and can be regarded only 

 as accidental. By the 25th of August, it returns to the 

 meadows of New England in small parties of three or four; 

 but it is not abundant much before the 10th or 15th of Sep- 

 tember, and then is not found in great numbers, unless 

 we have had two or three sharp frosts. The time when 

 sportsmen most expect to find them in numbers is after a 

 north-easterly storm, when the wind veers around to the 

 south-westward. Then the meadows are hunted diligently, 

 and generally with success. I have bagged twenty-four 

 birds in an afternoon's shooting, within ten miles pf Boston, 



