70 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS 



extending to the tail ; on each side of these lines are two 

 smaller ones on the wing'. 



The primary qnill feathers are dusky black, secondaries 

 the same, ending- in a white point ; tertiaries are brownish- 

 black, spotted and streaked with rich reddish-brown ; tail 

 short ; the upper tail-coverts are brown ; tail greyish- 

 black. Cheeks, chin, and neck greyish-brown, spotted 

 with a darker shade ; breast and lower parts white ; the 

 legs and toes are dark greenish-brown, and the claws 

 black. The females are not so bright in the plumage as 

 the males, and in the winter the birds are more ash-grey in 

 the reddish-brown parts. The young birds lack the bril- 

 liant green and purple reflections so noticeable in the 

 adults. 



The Jack Snipe frequents damp, boggy grounds, es- 

 pecially where tufts of coarse grass abound ; and when not- 

 feeding, it generally conceals itself amongst the rank herbage 

 and rushes common to moist localities. 



This bird is remarkable for the reluctance it exhibits 

 to leave the ground, and will almost suffer itself to be 

 trodden upon before it takes to flight. Not even the 

 firing of a gun will disturb it, although but a few yards 

 off ; and a bird has been known to be taken by the captor 

 throwing a hat over it as it was about to rise. When 

 compelled to rise into the air, it usually proceeds in a 

 vacillating way, flying but a short distance and then dropping 

 again to the ground. The birds do not congi-egate in small 

 parties, as the Common Snipe occasionally does, but are 

 generally found singly, though sometimes a pair or more are 

 found within a few yards of each other. It shows a great 

 partiality for certain spots, and can be found in exactly the 

 same place year after year with almost undeviating regu- 



