THE BIRDS OF BRECONSHIRE. 215 



Great Snipe, Gallinago major. — Occurs oftener with us than 

 is generally imagined, being regarded by many people as merely 

 a very fine Common Snipe. About six years ago I flushed what 

 appeared to me a very large Snipe on a bog on the Eppynt Hills. 

 It made no noise on rising, and on my missing, it flew steadily 

 and slowly for about one hundred yards, when it pitched again. 

 I killed it on flushing it the second time, and found it to be the 

 Great Snipe, a bird of the year. On the large bog at Oullwyn in 

 September, 1880, I had just knocked down a Common Snipe, 

 which my retriever was bringing, and on taking it from her a 

 splendid Great Snipe rose at my feet, and flew, very like a Wood- 

 cock, slowly away ; all my efforts to find it again were unavailing, 

 although it must have settled out close by. Mr. Alfred Craw- 

 shay has killed this bird at Llangorse in August, 1876, and a man 

 at Senny Bridge, who showed me a particularly large Snipe that 

 be had killed near Cray about five or six years ago, seemed quite 

 astonished when I informed him that it was a Great Snipe. 



Common Snipe, Gallinago media. — Breeds commonly on the 

 various bogs on all the hills in the county. Last season when 

 flapper-shooting on a large bog in the neighbourhood of Devyn- 

 nock, on August 1st, I killed seven Snipe, all young birds, which 

 may, I think, fairly represent the average number of young birds 

 that may be killed on any large bog in the county at this time of 

 the year. The Snipe, however, on the whole, are not nearly so 

 numerous in the winter season as they were. As with the Wood- 

 cock, the last two severe winters played sad havoc in their ranks. 

 They are plentiful on the many bogs on the Eppynt Hills, and 

 I know nothing more delightful than to wander with dog and gun 

 on a fine November day, after rain, over these beautiful hills, now 

 picking up a few Snipe, then a Duck or Teal, sometimes a Cock or 

 two, often a Golden Plover, and listening to the cry of an old cock 

 Grouse, as he springs whirring up far out of reach. The largest 

 bag of Snipe I ever made on these hills was seven couple. The 

 Welsh name for the Common Snipe is " giach," and as pronounced 

 in Welsh admirably expresses the sound it makes on rising. 



Jack Snipe, Gallinago gallinula. — Very common with us 

 especially during the season 1881. I think this bird stands the 

 severe cold better than the Common Snipe, and is, as its French 

 name implies, of a more sluggish nature, and consequently 

 usually in excellent condition. A gentleman in this town who 



