148 SCOLOPACID^:. 



few weeks as the best covers in England or Scotland would 

 afford during the entire season so much so that, in a southern 

 county, for a considerable wager, fifty couples were bagged 

 in one day, and by a single gun, this, too, perfectly well 

 authenticated in the newspapers of the day. 



Resembling the great majority of night-feeding birds, the 

 woodcock often betrays its proximity, when in cover, by its 

 large staring eye : a fact taken cognizance of by Hudibras in 

 the accompanying couplet : 



" Fools are found by looking wise 

 As men find woodcocks by their eyes." 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 137 THE GREAT SNIPE. 



Scolopax major. Linn. 

 Becassine double. Ternm. 



THE GREAT SNIPE is a bird of rather unusual occurrence in 

 our island, and we can only reckon an average of one speci- 

 men obtained for every three or four winters. 



Found either in pairs or single birds, it has obtained the 

 name of solitary or silent snipe, from its unwillingness to cry 

 or utter any alarm note when disturbed. A gamekeeper on 

 the property of Mr. Herbert, of Muckruss, in Kerry, has ob- 

 tained this bird on two occasions, and named them woodcock 

 snipe, from their large size, heavy flight, and fanned tail whilst 

 flying. 



More frequently observed during autumn, an adult female 

 in our collection was obtained in the county of Kildare, in 

 1849. We might also remark the perfect accordance of its 

 Irish name with its habits and appearance, u cpououp ceou^h 

 beg," the little woodcock. 



This species may be easily distinguished from the common 

 snipe by its larger size, sixteen feathers in the tail (fourteen 

 in the common species), and the marking on the abdomen 

 being closer, and more resembling the barring of the woodcock. 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 138 THE SABINE SNIPE. 



Scolopax sabinii. Vigors. 

 Becassine sabine. Temm. 



THIS rare snipe, so extremely curious in its distribution, has 

 been a complete puzzle to its describers, as we know of no 

 other species in the world so restricted in occurrence. 



