BIKDS OF INDIANA. 703 



to be one of these birds. It was flying restlessly from post to post 

 along a fence and showed the greatest uneasiness at my presence, the 

 notes being repeated at short intervals. Although the nest was prob- 

 ably near I could not discover it" (Nelson's Birds of N. E. 111.). Ac- 

 cording to Audubon, "the food of our common Snipe consists princi- 

 pally of ground- worms, insects, and juicy, slender roots, of different 

 vegetables, all of which tend to give its flesh that richness of flavor and 

 juicy tenderness for which it is so deservedly renowned, it being equal 

 to that of the woodcock. Many epicures eat up both snipe and wood- 

 cock with all their viscera, worms, insects to boot, the intestines, in 

 fact, being considered the most savory parts. On opening some newly 

 killed snipe, I have more than once found fine, large and well-fed 

 ground-worms, and at times a leech, which I must acknowledge, I 

 never conceived suitable articles of food for man, and for this reason 

 I have always taken good care to have both snipe and wood-cocks well 

 cleaned, as all game ought to be." 



Dr. B. H. Warren examined 25 snipe and found articles of food 

 were beetles, water beetles, and earthworms, together with weed seeds, 

 grass blades and the roots of plants. (Birds of Pa., 1890, p. 82.) 



47. GENUS MACRORHAMPHUS LEACH. 



a 1 . Length 11.00, or less. M. griseus (Gruel.). 90 



2 . Length over 11.00. M. scolopaceus (Say). 91 



90. (231). Macrorhamphus griseus (GMEL.). 



Dowitcher. 



Synonyms, GRAY SXIPE, GRAY BACK. 



Tail and its coverts, at all seasons, conspicuously barred with black 

 and white (or tawny); lining of wings, and axillars, the same; quills, 

 dusky; shaft of first primary, and tips of the secondaries, except long 

 inner ones, white; bill and feet, greenish-black. In summer, brown- 

 ish-black above, variegated with bay; below, brownish-red, variegated 

 with dusky; a tawny superciliary stripe and a dark one from bill to the 

 eye. In winter, plain gray above and on the breast, with few or no 

 traces of black; the belly, line over eye and under eyelid, white. 



Length, about 10.00-11.00; wing, 5.25-5.90 (average, 5.65); bill, 

 2.00-2.55 (2.30); tarsus, 1.20-1.55 (1.35). 



RANGE. America, from Brazil and West Indies north to Arctic 

 Ocean. Breeds within Arctic Circle. Winters from Gulf coast south. 



Xest, a hollow in ground, lined with grass. Eggs, 3-4, resemble 

 those of Wilson's Snipe; 1.65 by 1.13. 



