104 GRALLATORES. MACRORAMPHUS. LONGBEAK. 



and he adverts in particular terms to the distinctive charac- 

 ters it possesses. It inhabits the sea coasts that abound in 

 marine marshes, or display an extent of soft muddy shore, 

 and is never found in the interior of the country. Upon the 

 coasts of New Jersey, where WILSON made his observations, 

 it arrives early in April, on its return from its equatorial or 

 winter migration, when it has nearly acquired the nuptial 

 plumage ; and again in the beginning of August, on its way 

 southward, after having passed the summer in higher lati- 

 tudes, where it breeds. It flies, he observes, in very large 

 flocks, and performs many evolutions over the marshes, 

 sometimes wheeling, coursing, and doubling along their sur- 

 face ; then shooting high in the air, then separating in va- 

 rious bodies, uttering at the same time a kind of quivering 

 whistle. Such evolutions I have myself also frequently seen 

 performed by the Knots and other species of the Tringas, 

 when associated in large flocks. Some idea of the numbers 

 of these birds may be formed, when the above-mentioned 

 writer tells us, that they occasionally settle so close together, 

 that eighty-five have been killed by a single discharge from 

 a musket, and as their flesh is excellent, and highly esteemed 

 at the table, they are of course eagerly sought after, during 

 their stay in the country, and mown down in incredible 

 numbers by the American sportsmen. At low water they 

 frequent the sand-bars and mud flats, and, from the contents 

 found by WILSON in the stomach of those he dissected, seem 

 to feed principally upon small univalve mollusca. They 

 seldom associate with other species, but keep in flocks by 

 themselves. The nidification, and colour, &c. of the eggs 

 remain undescribed. 



General PLATE 24. Fig. 2. represents this bird, under the title of 

 ,tion. the Brown Snipe, in the summer plumage, and of the 



natural size. 

 Summer Crown of the head blackish-brown, having the feathers 



margined with pale reddish-brown. Between the bill 



