RARER BRITISH BIRDS. 37 



settle in such numbers, and so close together, that eighty-five 

 have been shot at one discharge of a musket. On the approach 

 of winter they retire to the south. Wilson does not appear 

 to have been acquainted with the exact locality in which this 

 interesting bird breeds, but supposes it to be to the northward 

 of the United States: Dr. Richardson, however, informs us, 

 that it has an extensive breeding range, from the borders of 

 Lake Superior to the Arctic Sea. 



The Red-breasted Snipe is classed by Mr. Swainson, in the 

 " Fauna Boreali Americana," among the genus Scolopax, under 

 the name of Scolopax Novoboracensis, or New York Godwit ; the 

 former of which names is that used by Wilson, together with 

 that of Red -breasted Snipe. The S. Grisea of Gmelin is also 

 the same bird. We cannot, however, but agree with the late Dr. 

 Leach, that it requires separating from the genus Scolopax, of 

 Linnaeus, we have therefore adopted his generic name, together 

 with the English one given to it by Wilson, and used by Pennant 

 in his " Arctic Zoology." 



Bewick gives a description of this bird in its summer plumage* 

 but no cuts; we therefore shall give a description of it in its 

 winter plumage, and two cuts ; one at the head of this account, 

 of it in its summer dress, the vignette in that of winter. The 

 Scolopax Grisea, of Gmelin and Latham, is the above bird 

 in its winter plumage, in which state it has the principal part 

 of the upper plumage of a light brown ; the crown and nape, 

 grey; a streak through the eye, chin, belly, vent, and lower 

 part of the breast, white ; secondaries, margined with white ; 

 quills, dark brown. According to Montagu, its length is eleven 

 inches, and the length of the bill, two inches and six lines. 



Temminck describes this bird under the name of Becassine 

 Ponctu6e, and informs us, that the young of the year have all 



