BIRDS OF NEW YORK 301 



central tail feathers black with a broad subterminal bar of rufous, and tipped 

 with whitish; outer tail feathers white, barred with blackish. Bill dusky 

 or brownish, legs greenish olive; iris dark brown. Sexes similar, the female 

 perhajis more ocherous on the breast and light markings. 



Length 10. 75-11. 75 inches; extent 17.5-20; wing 4.9-5.2; tail 2.25; 

 bill 2.3-2.7; tarsus 1.25; middle toe and claw 1.5; weight 4-5 ounces. 



Field marks. The dark, striped back of the Snipe combined with its 

 long bill (2.50 inches) and white belly can be seen by a quick eye as he 

 springs from his grassy coverts in the swamp. His rapid zigzag flight and 

 sharp, grating call of scaipc, scaipe, are also quite distinctive. 



Distribution. The Wilson snipe breeds from Minnesota, Illinois, and 

 southern New York north to Labrador and Hudson bay. In this State, 

 however, it is neither a common nor regular breeder at the stations where 

 its nest has been found, but would undoubtedly become a commoner breeder 

 in such localities as the swamps of central New York and Lake Ontario 

 if permanently relieved of spring shooting and disturbance of the nesting 

 grounds. I have found it breeding at Springville, Canandaigua Outlet in 

 Ontario county, and Bergen swamp; Mr C. F. Stone has taken its eggs at 

 Branchport on two occasions; Mr E. R. Tabor found its downy young at 

 Meridian; and reports of its nesting in Chautauqvia, Genesee, Orleans, 

 Onondaga, Oswego and St Lawrence counties have come to my attention. 

 Throughout New York the Snipe is found as a regular migrant while passing 

 to and from its more northern breeding grounds, being so common on 

 the more extensive swamps of western New York, that 140 birds have 

 been bagged by two guns in a single day. But this is an exceptional occur- 

 rence, and such reckless slaughter is suicidal to the interests of true sport, 

 and has already resulted in a woeful depletion in the ranks of this fine 

 game bird. 



Migration. In the warmer parts of the State, the Snipe begins to arrive 

 from the south as early as March 12th to i6th, if the spring is advanced, 

 and rarely later than March 25th, and from one to two weeks later in the 

 northern counties. They are commonest during the middle and later part 

 of April in the swamps of Lake Ontario and the central lake cotintry, and 

 mostly pass on to the northward from the first to the tenth of May. In the 



