Minor British Game Birds. 157 



times found in birds of the snipe kind have come 

 there not by being eaten, but attached to some 

 glutinous food, and eaten accidentally. 



The second species, the great snipe, long re- 

 mained unknown as a British bird, owing to its 

 being considered only a large variety of the 

 bir*d above mentioned. Pennant was the first 

 to elevate it to the rank of a species, and, once 

 pointed out, its claim was admitted. The great 

 snipe does not breed in Britain, and those killed 

 here are mostly birds of the year, these occurring 

 from early to late autumn. During a single 

 season the writer shot three examples of this 

 bird ; one was flushed from turnips, the other 

 two from a high-lying tussocky pasture an ideal 

 spot for hares, and for which we were on the 

 look-out. In going away the great snipe is 

 much slower than its common cousin, and is not 

 given to zig-zaging to such an extent. It lies 

 close, flies heavily, and on the wing reminds one 

 very much of the woodcock. Unlike its con- 

 geners, it does not soon "plump," but flies straight 

 away. "Solitary snipe" is misleading, as a pair 

 are often found in company ; whilst double snipe, 

 woodcock snipe, and little woodcock are each 

 expressive and descriptive. With regard to food 

 and habit, this species has much in common with 

 its congeners. It is usually found on high and 

 dry situations from October to the end of the 

 year, and seems to prefer loose soil to wet 



