Wilson's SNIPE. 185' 



Snipes desert the oozy marshes of Delaware and New Jersey, 

 and commence moving further North, where they spread them- 

 selves throughout the interior of the upland countries for the 

 purpose of breeding and rearing their young. They are most 

 generally mated when they take leave of these parts. Like 

 other migratory Birds, a few of them, owing to one peculiar 

 circumstance or another, remain with us in the low marshy 

 fallows during the whole summer, and even hatch and rear 

 their young broods. It is no very uncommon circumstance for 

 our Shooters to kill an occasional young Snipe as well as old 

 ones, when in pursuit of Cocks in the months of July and 

 August. 



In the month of May, 1846, while wandering in company 

 with Mr. E. Lewis, over his extensive estate in Maryland, we 

 sprang a Wilson's Snipe from the midst of an oat-field, and 

 being surprised as well as attracted by its singular manoeuvres, 

 we made search for its nest, which we soon found, with four 

 esfcrs in it. The situation selected for incubation could not 



DO 



have been better chosen in any portion of country, as it was on 

 a rising piece of ground, with a Southern exposure, and pro- 

 tected in the rear by a large wood, and at the foot of this high 

 ground was a considerable extent of low marsh meadow, 

 watered by a never-failing stream, along the borders of which 

 the anxious parents at any time could obtain a bountiful sup- 

 ply of food. 



PERIOD OF INCUBATION. 



In the State of Maine, and other portions of the country far 

 North, Snipes are very numerous during the summer months. 

 They are also abundant in the Canadas and Nova Scotia, but 

 are not known in Newfoundland or Labrador. In these 

 northern latitudes. Snipes inhabit the marshy portions of the 

 hilly districts as the spots most secure and favorable for incu- 

 bation. The nest is constructed in a most simple manner — in 

 fact, nothing more than a hollow made in the moss or grass, 

 lined, perhaps, with a few feathers. The brood generally con- 

 sists of four, and, like the young of the A¥oodcock, are capable 

 of motion as soon as sprung from the eggs. At this tender 



