REP-BREASTED SNIPE. 169 



(Gray, ' Ibis/ 1870, p. 292) ; and one on the Lincolnshire coast, between 

 Cleethorpes and Tetny Haven, on the 15th of August 1882 (Cordeaux, 

 ' Zoologist/ 1882, p. 392). Singularly enough the Red- breasted Snipe 

 does not appear ever to have been detected in Ireland, where it has pro- 

 bably occurred more often than in England. It is possible that some of 

 the examples recorded may have belonged to the nearly allied Asiatic 

 species. 



The Red-breasted Snipe breeds throughout the Arctic regions of 

 America from Alaska to Greenland. In autumn it migrates south; a few 

 remain to winter in the Southern States, Mexico, the West Indies, and 

 Central America, but the great body pass on as far as the tropical portions 

 of South America. It is an irregular straggler on migration to the 

 Bermudas. It has occurred more than once in France ; in the Warsaw 

 Museum there are three examples from Tchuski Land in North-east 

 Siberia. I have seen a specimen from East Yezzo, obtained on the 13th 

 of October, and possess a second procured in the Yokohama market on the 

 13th of March. 



In Dauria and Mongolia the Red-breasted Snipe is represented by a 

 nearly allied species, Ereunetes semipalmatus, which winters in China, 

 Burma, and Eastern India. Blyth established the genus Pseudoscolopax 

 for its reception, because it differs from its American ally in having the 

 middle toe united to both the adjoining toes by a web at the base. 



In North America the Red-breasted Snipe is a well-known bird, either 

 in its winter-quarters or on its way to and from them in autumn and 

 spring. It is a late bird of passage, and passes through the Northern 

 States during May. In Alaska Mr. Adams noticed its first arrival on the 

 20th of that month. A few sometimes remain all the summer, either 

 in their winter- quarters or a long way south of the breeding- grounds, 

 probably young or barren birds. The return migration begins very early. 

 As soon as the young are able to fly, the journey south commences, and 

 it has been known to reach the island of Trinidad by the end of July. 

 The migration south seems to be at its height during the months of 

 August and September, when the United States are thronged with tens of 

 thousands of these interesting birds, which do not appear to be in such a 

 violent hurry to proceed as in spring, sometimes remaining in favourable 

 districts a month or more. The Red-breasted Snipe usually migrates in 

 flocks of from a dozen to three dozen birds, which are very tame, allowing 

 the gunners to approach them closely, and are the last of the shore-birds 

 to take alarm when feeding. 



Although this bird somewhat resembles the Snipes, it differs consider- 

 ably in its habits from those birds. It loves to frequent the extensive 

 sands and mud-flats, running over their soft yielding surface, and probing 

 them with its long Snipe-like bill in search of the small animals on which 



