General 
descrip- 
tion. 
Summer 
plumage. 
104 GRALLATORES. MACRORAMPHUS. Loneseak. 
and he adverts in particular terms to the distinctive charac- 
ters it possesses. It inhabits the sea coasts that abound in 
marine marshes, or display an extent of soft muddy shore, 
and is never found in the interior of the country. Upon the 
coasts of New Jersey, where Wixson made his observations, 
it arrives early in April, on its return from its equatorial or 
winter migration, when it has nearly acquired the nuptial 
plumage ; and again in the beginning of August, on its way 
southward, after having passed the summer in higher lati- 
tudes, where it breeds. It flies, he observes, in very large 
flocks, and performs many evolutions over the marshes, 
sometimes wheeling, coursing, and doubling along their sur- 
face ; then shooting high in the air, then separating in va- 
rious bodies, uttering at the same time a kind of quivering 
whistle. Such evolutions I have myself also frequently seen | 
performed by the Knots and other species of the Tringas, 
when associated in large flocks. Some idea of the numbers 
of these birds may be formed, when the above-mentioned 
writer tells us, that they occasionally settle so close together, 
that eighty-five have been killed by a single discharge from 
a musket, and as their flesh is excellent, and highly esteemed 
at the table, they are of course eagerly sought after, during 
their stay in the country, and mown down in incredible 
numbers by the American sportsmen. At low water they 
frequent the sand-bars and mud flats, and, from the contents 
found by Witson in the stomach of those he dissected, seem 
to feed principally upon small univalve mollusca. They 
seldom associate with other species, but keep in flocks by 
themselves. The nidification, and colour, &c. of the eggs 
remain undescribed. 
PiatTE 24. Fig. 2. represents this bird, under the title of 
the Brown Snipe, in the summer plumage, and of the 
natural size. 
Crown of the head blackish-brown, having the feathers 
margined with pale reddish-brown. Between the bill 
