RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 93 



with pale brown ; rump and tail-coverts, of a very light 

 brown, barred with dark brown ; tail, even, except the 

 two middle feathers, which are a little the longest ; 

 wings, pale ferruginous, elegantly marbled with dark 

 brown, the four first primaries black on the outer edge ; 

 whole lining and lower parts of the wings, bright 

 ferruginous ; belly and vent, light rust colour, with a 

 tinge of lake. 



The female differs in wanting the bars of black on 

 the breast. The bill does not acquire its full length 

 before the third year. 



About fifty different species of the scolopax genus 

 are enumerated by naturalists. These are again, by 

 some, separated into three classes, or subgenera; viz. 

 the straight-billed, or snipes; those with bills bent 

 downwards, or the curlews ; and those whose bills are 

 slightly turned upwards, or godwits. The whole are a 

 shy, timid, and solitary tribe, frequenting those vast 

 marshes, swamps, and morasses, that frequently prevail 

 in the vicinity of the ocean, and on the borders of large 

 rivers. They are also generally migratory, on account 

 of the periodical freezing of those places in the northern 

 regions, where they procure their food. The godwits 

 are particularly fond of salt marshes ; and are rarely 

 found in countries remote from the sea. 



GENUS LIII. SCOLOPAX. 



SVBGENUS I. MACRORAMPHUS, LEACH. 



233. SCOLOPAX GRlSEA, GMELIN. 



SCOLOPAX NOVE30RACENS1S, WILSON. RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 



WILSON, PLATE XLVII. FIG. I. 



THIS bird has a considerable resemblance to the 

 common snipe, not only in its general form, size, and 

 colours, but likewise in the excellence of its flesh, 

 which is in high estimation. It differs, however, 

 greatly from the common snipe in its manners, and in 



. 



