262 SCOLOPACIDjE. 



THE COMMON SNIPE. 



Heather-bleater. 



Scolopax gallinago, Linn. 



Is, from the nature of the country, much more abundant 

 in Ireland than in Great Britain ; and is partially 

 indigenous. 



Migration. — It breeds at suitable localities in all parts of the 

 island, without reference to altitude*; equally in the low marshy 

 tracts and in the bogs on the summits of lofty mountains. The 

 numbers produced in this country, however, are but a mere frac- 

 tion of the multitudes winch inhabit the bogs throughout the 

 autumn and winter. So early as the month of August, they 

 sometimes appear from more northern latitudes, and are tempted 

 to remain a few days before proceeding southward, which I am 

 disposed to believe all that arrive at a very early period do. 

 Circumstantial evidence in three years, at least, favoured this 

 view. In the beginning of the month of August 1828, there 

 was excessive rain, winch inundated an extensive tract — a mile in 

 length — of low -lying meadows near Belfast (well known as " the 

 bog-meadows "), before they had been mown. Melancholy as 

 was this prospect to the proprietor, it must have appeared to the 

 snipe from on high " a land overflowing with milk and honey," 

 as a great body of these birds, presumed to have been passing 

 over on their southward migration, alighted and took up their abode 

 for several days. The numbers vastly exceeded anything of the 

 kind before seen by sporting friends who went in pursuit of them 

 as well as myself. Dogs were not required, for the birds ad- 

 mitted of a very close approach. Every step that we moved — 

 and much of the promenade was knee-deep in water like the 

 haunts of the snipe in the paddy or rice-grounds of India* — 



* The bird of India is, however, generally now considered distinct from that of 

 Europe. I have not myself had the opportunity of comparing them. The beautiful 

 " Painted Snipe" of Tiidia, well known in museums, is stated by a friend, who has 

 Killed many of them, to be the easiest of all birds to shoot. 



