WILSON'S SNIPE. 125 



every change in the atmosphere he makes a shift in his 

 locality. 



Wilson's snipe are very abundant in Canada and the 

 northern part of New England, during their breeding 

 time. As with the woodcock, their nests are made in 

 the rudest manner, being nothing more than a hole in 

 thick grass, and perhaps eked out with a few of their own 

 feathers. The number of eggs is four, from which they 

 are usually successful in rearing four young long-bills. 

 The young ones are soon able to do some boring in a 

 small way, in the softest and most tender feeding- 

 grounds, to which they are convoyed by the old birds. 



It has been stated (I cannot tell with how much 

 truth) that formerly, when an English nobleman wished 

 to test the capacity and endurance of his new game- 

 keeper, he would send him into a snipe-bog, to hunt 

 and wade for a few days in the mud and mire. If he 

 came out without colds or rheumatism, he was consid- 

 ered hardy enough for any emergency. 



Snipe shooting-grounds are generally discovered by 

 accident while hunting for other game, and they are 

 usually located in low, swampy land, without many 

 trees, and where the water from the small streams 

 overflows the meadows. Generally such ground is 

 partially covered with bogs and long grass, 'and nu- 

 merous little islands with small bushes, surrounded 

 with coarse rank grass ; and as the water recedes it 

 leaves the ground in fine condition for boring. 



All such meadows, however, are not good snipe 

 ground by any means, for there are thousands of acres 

 of such land where a snipe would not consent to stay 



