SNIPE. GRALLATORES. SCOLOPAX. 117 



from North America ; but I have never obtained it from 

 that country, nor does WILSON, or any other American or- 

 nithologist, include it in the list of birds belonging to that 

 quarter of the globe. The Snipe common to that country, 

 long supposed to be Scolopax Gattinago, is now ascertained 

 to be a distinct species. 



The Great Snipe breeds in marshes, selecting a tolerably 

 dry spot near to some standing water, and the materials of 

 the nest, which are scanty, are collected from the decayed Nest, &c. 

 grasses and water-plants immediately around. The four 

 eggs which it lays are very similar to those of the Common 

 Snipe, being (according to the authors who have described 

 them) of a yellowish- white, or very pale oil-green, blotched 

 with dark brown. As a delicacy, its flesh is in high estima- 

 tion, being equal, if not superior, to that of the common 

 species. 



PLATE 28. Fig. 2. Represents this bird of the natural size, 

 from a very perfect specimen killed near Twizell in Oc- 

 tober 1822, and which weighed nearly nine ounces. 

 Bill of a pale brown colour, inclining to flesh-red at the General 

 base, 'with the tip blackish -brown. Between the bill 

 and eyes is a narrow streak of rich chestnut-brown. 

 Crown of the head blackish-brown, with a few specks 

 of reddish-brown, with a central streak of cream-colour- 

 ed white. Eye streak, cheeks, and throat, cream-yel- 

 low, finely speckled with brown. Hind part of the 

 neck pale ochreous yellow, spotted with brown. Fore 

 part of the neck yellowish-white, with large angular 

 brown spots. Back brownish-black, varied with pale 

 chestnut-brown ; the outer webs of the feathers having 

 a broad yellowish-white margin. Shoulders and sca- 

 pulars yellowish-brown, and on each feather a large 

 black bar near the tip, and the outer webs with white 

 edges. Tertials barred with black, and margined with 

 a double line of black and yellowish- white. Lesser 

 wing-coverts marbled with black and yellowish-brown, 



