BROWN SNIPE. 45 



that of a Snipe ; while the habits, and great seasonal 

 change of plumage, are those of the marine Sandpipers. 

 The English names given to this bird are not so happily 

 chosen, being of more partial application. It has been 

 called, as the synonyms indicate, Red-breasted Snipe, 

 Brown Snipe, and Grey Snipe ; but the bird is only red 

 during summer, brown in the autumn, and grey in winter. 



The Red-breasted Snipe, as it is called by Wilson on 

 account of the prevailing colour of its summer plumage, 

 " arrives on the sea-coast of New Jersey early in April ; 

 it is seldom or never seen inland ; early in May it proceeds 

 to the north to breed, and returns by the latter part of 

 July or beginning of August. During its stay, it flies in 

 flocks, sometimes very high, and has then a loud and 

 shrill whistle, making many evolutions over the marshes; 

 forming, dividing, and reuniting. They sometimes settle 

 in such numbers, and so close together, that eighty-five 

 have been shot at one discharge of a musket. They fre- 

 quent the sand-bars, and mud-flats at low water in search 

 of food ; and being less suspicious of a boat than of a 

 person on shore, are easily approached by this medium, 

 and shot down in great numbers." 



These birds, Wilson observes, " of all our sea-side 

 Snipes, are the most numerous, and the most delicious for 

 the table. They doubtless breed not far to the northward 

 of the United States, if we may judge from the lateness 

 of the season when they leave us in spring, the large size 

 of the eggs in the ovaries of the females before they depart, 

 and the short period of time they are absent." This hiatus 

 in their history has been supplied by Dr. Richardson in his 

 Fauna of North America, who says, " they are well known 

 in the fur-countries, and have an extensive breeding range 

 from the borders of Lake Superior to the Arctic Sea." 



