SCOLOPACID.-E. 325 



Exmoor. The Snipe is, however, mainly a winter visitor, arriving con- 

 tinually from the end of August throughout the autiimn and winter, and 

 remaining until the end of March or middle of April ; the great bulk of 

 the foreign birds appearing early in October, and being followed by suc- 

 cessive smaller flights. Mr, F. W. L. Ross records three killed on the 

 Exe, August 6th, 1839, and we have on several occasions known a few 

 to occur on the Exe and on Haldon in August (1854, 1855, 1SG3, 

 1876), but these probably came from Dartmoor. Mr. E. A. 8. Elliot 

 rose two Snipe on Milton Ley, August 2nd, 1878, and young birds unable 

 to Hy were seen there in 1890 (11. P. N.). On September 17th, 1853, wo 

 saw about twenty Snipe flying singly up the estuary of the Exe in the 

 evening, evidently just arriving (AV. D'U.). 



In mild weather in the winter Snipe are plentiful on the bogs on 

 Dartmoor, and on their first arrival in the estuarine marshes of our 

 larger rivers and in marshy spots near the coasts. Severe frost also 

 brings them to the marsh-lands in considerable numbers. Very largo 

 specimens occur on the Exe, as well as near Kingsbridge, on Dartmoor, 

 on the Blackdown Hills, and elsewhere in the county. We have ourselves 

 shot several on the Exe which appear to belong to the variety rusnata of 

 Gould. These large Snipe lie very much closer than the ordinary birds 

 usually do, and we have found it very difficult to flush them, as they 

 allowed us to almost tread on them before they would rise. One of this 

 variety shot on Dartmoor in December 18(31 weighed 1 ^ oz. [cf. a note 

 by Mr. Oatcombe in the 'Zoologist,' 1862, p. 7938; and one by Mr. J. 

 Urooking liowe, Zool, 1866, p. 97). There is a fine example in the 

 A, M. M., shot by Mr. W. H. Beadon on JBlackdown in January 1853. 

 On the Exe this large race was known to gunners as the " Double Snipe," 

 the ordinary form being called " Whole Snipe " or " Eull Snipe,'"' and the 

 Jack Snipe was termed " Half Snipe." 



A Snipe in the A. M. M. derived from Mr. Eoss's collection, but with 

 its place of occurrence unknown, was submitted to the late Mr. John 

 Gould, and considered by him " a variety of the Common Snipe, connect- 

 ing Sahine's Snipe with the Ptuddy Snipe " {in Hit.). There is also in 

 the same museum a curious melanistic variety of the male shot in 183U, 

 and presented by the late Mr. llalph Sanders. Mr. Henry Nicholls, of 

 Kingsbridge, has a similar specimen in his collection. 



In the 'Zoologist' for I8(jl, p. 7434, is an interesting account of a 

 tame Snipe kept by Mr. J. C. Upluim, of Starcross, Devon. A Snipe 

 caught by a large mastifi:' in a marsh near Topsham became tame, running 

 about the kitchen of Newport House for some time. The dog brought it 

 up to the house in his mouth without injuring it. 



The Common Snipe used to be an abundant bird in Devonshire, .ind 

 the very great diminution in its numbers during the last halt'-ccntuiy is 

 one of the characteristic changes in our ornis which the enclosure and 

 drainage of moorlands, salt-marshes, and wet highland farms have hi'liicd 

 to bring about, the increased number of guns pointed at the Ijirds l)c'ing 

 also taken into account. Many a moor on which Snipes once lu'stcd 

 ijuuierously has disappeared to give place to corn- and turnip- fields. 



