256 
NEW-YORK FAUNA-BIRDS. 
THE COMMON AMERICAN SNIPE. 
ScOLOPAX WILSONI. 
PLATE XCVIII. FIG. 220. 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
Scolopax gallinago. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 6, p. 18, pi. 47, fig. 1. S. brehmii, Kaup, Bonaparte, Obs. 
S . wilsoni, Temminck. Bonaparte, Ann. Lyc. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 330. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 401. 
Audubon, B. of Am. Vol. 5, p. 339, pi. 350. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 185. Giraud, Birds 
of Long island, p. 263. 
Characteristics. Tail much rounded, of sixteen feathers, with black subterminal bars; 
outer feathers half as broad as the middle ones. Brown and reddish 
above; buff on the sides of the head and neck; belly and vent white. 
Length, 10’0. 
Description. Bill straight, compressed from the base, depressed towards the tip, where it 
is enlarged, and 2'5 long. Second quill longest. Tail much rounded, almost graduated: all 
the toes cleft to the base. 
Color. Crown dark-colored, mottled with rufous, and an irregular rufous medial line. 
Lores, and an oblique streak beneath the eyes, black. On the back, the brownish black 
feathers are edged with cream-color, and minutely barred with reddish brown. Wings plain 
dusky; the outer 'web of the first quill white: outer spurious feather very acute, and mar¬ 
gined and tipped with white. Outer tail-feathers dusky white, with four or five brown bars, 
and tipped (in the male) with pure white; middle feathers jet black at the base, broadly 
banded with bright bay, margined with black and tipped with yellowish white beneath. Chin 
brownish white. Throat and breast buff, spotted with brown and grey. Flanks barred with 
grey and brown, Axillary feathers pure white, with numerous angular brown bars. 
Length, 11*0 — 12* 0. 
The Common Snipe, or English Snipe as it is ignorantly called from its resemblance to the 
S. gallinago or Common Snipe of Europe, reaches this State about the latter end of April or 
the beginning of March. It breeds from Virginia northwardly, and ranges between the 28th 
and 55lh parallels. It breeds in this State, particularly in wet swampy places. The Drowned 
lands, as they are called, of Orange county, are particularly remarkable as a locality for 
breeding; but this occurs in every part of the State. The eggs are yellowish, with spots 
and blotches which form a crowded circle round the larger end. Early in the spring, it soars 
high in the air, making a booming sound difficult to describe. In Kentucky, and the Southern 
States, it is a resident during the winter. In this State, it remains with us until winter, or 
until the ground is so much frozen as to deprive them of their usual food. Its flesh is much 
esteemed. 
