204 ORALLY. 



upper plumage, and in the red on the breast. The following 

 extract from Wilson's delightful book will show the habits 

 or the bird in its native regions : It " arrives on the sea- 

 coast of New Jersey early in April ; is seldom or never 

 seen inland : early in May it proceeds to the north to breed, 

 and returns in the latter end of July, or the beginning of 

 August. During its stay here, it flies in flocks, sometimes 

 very high, and has a loud and shrill whistle, making many 

 evolutions over the marshes ; forming, dividing, and reverting. 

 They sometimes settle in such numbers, and so close together, 

 that eighty-five have been shot at one discharge of a musket. 

 They spring from the marshes with a loud howling whistle, 

 generally rising high, and making several circuitous ma- 

 noeuvres in the air before they descend. They frequent the 

 mud-lines and mud-flats at low water, in search of food ; and 

 being less suspicious of a boat than of a person on* shore, are 

 easily approached by this medium, and shot down in num- 

 bers. They usually keep by themselves, being very numerous ; 

 are in excellent order for the table in September ; and, on 

 the approach of winter, retire to the south." Wilson adds, 

 that they are the most numerous and delicious of all the 

 sea-side snipes in North America ; and infers, from physio- 

 logical indications, that they cannot breed very far to the 

 north. It would be very desirable if similar physiological 

 observations were made upon those birds which remain even 

 stragglingly upon our shores till the season is far advanced. 



There can be no question that the species under consider- 

 ation is a mere straggler from those numerous flocks that 

 migrate. 



SNIPES (Scolopax). 



The snipes are quiet and retiring birds, which inhabit 

 moist places, where water partially stagnates, or the soil is 

 otherwise so soft, that they even bore into it with their bills. 



