AMERICAN SNIPE. 327 



birds are then met with in meadows or on low grounds, and, by being on 

 the spot before sunrise, you may see both mount high in the air in a spiral 

 manner, now with continuous beats of the wings, now in short sailings, 

 until more than a hundred yards high, when they whirl round each other 

 with extreme velocity, and dance as it were to their own music ; for at this 

 juncture, and during the space of five or six minutes, you hear rolling- 

 notes mingling together, each more or less distinct, perhaps according to 

 the state of the atmosphere. The sounds produced are extremely pleas- 

 ing, though they fall faintly on the ear. I know not how to describe 

 them, but I am well assured that they are not produced simply by the 

 beatings of the wings, as at this time the wings are not flapped, but are 

 used in sailing swiftly in a circle not many feet in diameter. A person 

 might cause a sound somewhat similar by blowing rapidly and alternately 

 from one end to another, across a set of small pipes consisting of two or three 

 modulations. This performance is kept up until incubation terminates, 

 but I never observed it at any other period. Our Woodcock produces a 

 somewhat similar sound at the same season, and also at times on fine au- 

 tumnal evenings, as I shall mention more particularly when describing 

 that bird. 



In confinement, our Common Snipe feeds freely on moistened Indian 

 com meal, mixed with some insects, but rarely becomes as gentle as the 

 Woodcock in similar circumstances. When approached, it droops its 

 wings and runs round its place of confinement, even should it be a small 

 room, keeping its tail spread out on the side next you. If the bird is 

 confined in a small space in front of you, it alternately throws the tail up- 

 wards, and spreads it in the manner mentioned at every successive turn to 

 and from each corner. Sometimes it emits a lisping sound, but is more 

 usually silent. 



ScoLOPAX WiLSONii, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 330 — 



Swains, and Richards. Fauna-Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 401. 

 Snipe, Scolopax Gallinago, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vi. p. 18. pi. 47. f5g. 1. 

 Wilson's Snipe, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 185. 



Adult Male. Plate CCXLIII. Fig. 1. 



Bill twice as long as the head, subulate, straight, compressed for more 

 than half its length, depressed towards the end. Upper mandible with 

 the dorsal line straight, the ridge for a short space at the base flattish, 

 then convex, towaicls the end flattened, the sides with a narrow groove 



