27 



BROWN SNIPE. 



RED-BREASTED S^IPE. GREY SNIPE. BROWF LONGBEAK. 



Scolopax grisea, PEXNANT. MONTAGU. 



Scolopax Noveboracensis, SA.BINE. 



Macroramphus griseus, EYTON. GOULD. 



Scolopax A Woodcock, or Snipe. Grisea. 



THIS Snipe, whose triple name denotes its different appearance 

 in summer, autumn, and winter red, brown, and grey, ac- 

 cording to the season of the year, belongs naturally to North 

 America. It is a very abundant species in the Fur Countries, 

 and is found extensively from the borders of Lake Superior to 

 the Arctic Sea. In Europe it has been shot in Sweden, and 

 is included also among the birds of Greenland. 



Colonel Montagu was the first to mention the occurrence of 

 this bird in Britain. His specimen was obtained in Devonshire, 

 in the month of October; a second example, according to Dr. 

 Edward Moore and Mr. Bellamy, was subsequently procured 

 in the same county. A third was killed near Carlisle, in the 

 year 1835; a fourth near Yarmouth, Norfolk, on the 12th. of 

 October, 1836; a fifth also near the same place; a sixth in the 

 same county in 1840. A seventh at liunton, and one at 

 Horsey, shot by Mr. Eising, the 9th. of October, 1845. 



They migrate northwards the end of April and beginning 

 of May, and return again southwards the end of July, and 

 beginning of August. 



They go in flocks, sometimes of very large extent, keeping 

 by themselves, and seldom associating with other species, as 

 may be judged of from the fact that as many as eighty-five 

 have been killed at one shot. They are considered particularly 

 good eating, and numbers are accordingly obtained for the 



