BAY SNIPE. 25 



latter edged with white, the former tipped with the same ; hind 

 part of back white ; the rump marked with roundish spots of 

 hlackish-brown ; upper tail coverts dull white, barred with 

 black ; tail feathers crossed with numerous black bands, their 

 tips white ; loral band dusky, the space between which and the 

 medial band on the fore part of the head, grayish white, tinged 

 with fen-uginous, and slightly touched with dusky ; sides of the 

 head spotted with dark brown; lower parts dull orange-red ; 

 the abdomen lighter ; the neck, and fore part of breast, spotted 

 with dusky ; the sides of the body with numerous bars of the 

 same color ; legs and feet dull yellowish-green. Young with 

 the lower parts paler. Winter dress, the upper parts brown- 

 ish-grey ; neck ash-grey, streaked with dusky ; lower parts gray- 

 ish white, with dusky bars on the sides of the body. Length 

 ten inches and a half, wing six. 



" Our gunners, as if fearful that nothing would be left to con- 

 nect the past with the present generation, cling to the old pro- 

 vincial names for birds, recognising this species by the singular 

 and unmeaning name of ' Dowitcher.' 



" At the close of April, the Red-breasted Snipe arrive on the 

 coasts of Long Island. Invited by a bountiful supply of food, 

 at the reflux of the tide, it resorts to the mud-flats and shoals to 

 partake of the rich supply of shell-fish and insects, which Nature 

 in her plenitude has provided for it. As the tide advances, it 

 retires to the bog meadows, where it is seen probing the soft 

 ground for worms. In the spring, it remains with us but a 

 short time. Soon after recruiting, it obeys the call of unerring 

 Nature, and steers for the North, where it passes the season of 

 reproduction. About the middle of July, it returns with its 

 young, and continues its visit during September ; and if the 

 season be open, lingers about its favorite feeding grounds until 

 the last o'' the month. 



" The whistling note of the Red-breasted, or ' Quail Snipe,' 

 as it is termed in some sections of the Island, is well known to 

 the practical bay-gunner, and he so truly imitates it, that the 

 call is obeyed at a great distance. Fond of associating in large 



