110 SNIPE. 



the tenth of April. I was told by several people, that they are 

 abundant in the Illinois country, up as far as lake Michigan. 

 They are but seldom seen in Pennsylvania during the summer, 

 but are occasionally met with in considerable numbers on their 

 return in autumn, along the whole eastern side of the Allegha- 

 ny, from the sea to the mountains. They have the same soar- 

 ing irregular flight in the air in gloomy weather 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 Britain, except 

 in being about an inch less; and in having sixteen feathers 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 changed by 

 difference of climate; the former appears to me the more pro- 

 bable opinion of the two. 



These birds abound in the meadows, and low grounds, along 

 our large rivers, particularly those that border the Schuylkill 

 and Delaware, from the tenth of March to the middle of April, 

 and sometimes later, and are eagerly sought after by many of our 

 gunners. The nature of the grounds, however, which these 

 birds frequent, the coldness of the season, and peculiar shyness 

 and agility of the game, render this amusement attractive only 

 to the most dexterous, active, and eager, of our sportsmen. 



The Snipe is eleven inches long, and seventeen inches in ex- 

 tent; the bill is more than two inches and a half long, fluted 

 lengthwise, of a brown colour, and black towards the tip, where 

 it is very smooth while the bird is alive, but soon after it is kil- 

 led becomes dimpled like the end of a thimble; crown black, 

 divided by an irregular line of pale brown; another broader one 

 of the same tint passes over each eye; from the bill to the eye 

 there is a narrow dusky line; neck, and upper part of the breast, 

 pale brown, variegated with touches of white and dusky; chin 

 pale; back and scapulars deep velvetty black, the latter elegant- 

 ly marbled with waving lines of ferruginous, and broadly edg- 

 ed exteriorly with white; wings plain dusky, all the feathers. 



