UPLAND SHOOTING. 93 



" This bird is well known to our sportsmen, and if not the 

 same, has a very near resemblance to the common Snipe of 

 Europe. It is usually known by the name of the English 

 Snipe, to distinguish it from the Woodcock, and from several 

 others of the same genus. 



" It arrives in Pennsylvania about the 10th of March, and 

 remains in the low grounds for several weeks, the greater part 

 then move off to the north and to the higher inland districts, to 

 breed. A few are occasionally found and consequently breed 

 in our low marshes during the summer. When they first 

 arrive they are usually lean, but when in good order are 

 accounted excellent eating. They are perhaps the most diffi- 

 cult to shoot of all our birds, as they fly in sudden zigzag lines, 

 and very rapidly. Great numbers of these birds winter on the 

 rice grounds of the Southern States, where, in the month of 

 February, they appeared to be much tamer than they usually are 

 here, as I have frequently observed them running about among 

 the springs and watery thickets. I Avas told by the inhabitants 

 that they generally disappeared in the spring. On the 20th 

 of March I found these birds extremely numerous on the bor- 

 ders of the ponds near Louisville, Ky., and also in the neigh- 

 borhood of Lexington, in the same State, as late as the 10th 

 of April. I was told by several people that they are abundant 

 in the Illinois country up as far as Lake jNIichigan. They are 

 but seldom seen in Pennsylvania during the sumnier, but are 

 occasionally met with in considerable numbers, on their return 

 in autumn, along the whole east side of the Alleghany, from 

 the sea to the mountains. They have the same soaring, 

 irreo-ular flight in the air, in gloomy Aveather, as the Snipe of 

 Europe ; the same bleating note, and occasional rapid descent, 

 spring from the marshes with the like feeble squeak, and in 

 every respect resemble the common Snipe of Great Britain, 

 except in being about an inch less, and in having sixteen fea- 

 thers in the tail instead of fourteen, the number said by Bewick 

 to be in that of Europe. From these circumstances we must 

 either conclude this to be a different species, or partially 



