XL 



THE SNIPE 



THE snipe (ornithologically Wilson's Snipe) is the 

 game bird of the open bog-meadows, and is sec- 

 ond only in importance among the wading-birds to the 

 woodcock. He is a handsome, graceful bird, protect- 

 ively marked above with brown and tan and black. 

 The markings on the back are lengthwise. The under 

 parts are white and gray. The bill is long, slender, 

 and flexible, like that of the woodcock, but he is a 

 more slender bird, and somewhat lighter. 



The snipe arrives in the Northern States early in the 

 spring, as soon as the frost is out of the ground. A 

 few remain in secluded places to nest, but most of the 

 birds continue northward as the weather becomes 

 warm, and nest far beyond the boundary of the United 

 States. There are three or four eggs in the nest. 

 Like the woodcock, the snipe feeds by boring in the 

 soft earth for angle-worms. His presence is indicated 

 by the numerous small holes made by the bill, and 

 until there are borings it is useless to look for him on 

 the meadow. 



The snipe is found throughout North America when 

 migrating, but only on wet meadows and fields where 

 the ground is suitable for boring and where his food is 

 to be found. He winters in the Southern States, Mex- 

 ico, and the West Indies. I have shot them on the 



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