246 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



and westwards to Alaska and the extreme north-east of Asia, in 

 the Tchuski Land and Kamtschatka. Passes down the Pacific 

 coasts, and inland almost in a line with the Rocky Mountains, 

 and winters in Central America. It occasionally wanders to the 

 Atlantic coasts ; has been recorded inland in Asia as far east as 

 the valley of the Lena ; and occurs accidentally in Japan. The 

 Western form of the Red-breasted Snipe, only subspecifically 

 distinct, and completely intergrading with its more easterly repre- 

 sentative. Typical examples differ from the Red-breasted Snipe 

 in being less spotted on the underparts in breeding plumage, and 

 in having the lower back less spotted in summer and winter 

 alike. It is also said to be on an average a slightly larger bird. 

 E, taczanowskii, an inhabitant, probably, of the valley of the Lena 

 in Siberia during summer, passing through Dauria and Mongolia 

 on migration, and wintering in China, Borneo, Burma, and India. 

 Differs from both forms of the Red-breasted Snipe in having the 

 middle toe united at the base by a web to both the adjoining toes. 

 Time during which the Red-breasted Snipe may be 



taken. — August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The Red-breasted Snipe is a rather late migrant, 

 passing the northern United States from the latter half of April 

 to about the middle of May, and arriving at its Arctic breeding 

 grounds towards the end of that month. As is the case with most 

 Waders in which the young birds do not breed in their first spring, 

 many individuals pass the summer considerably south of the 

 breeding grounds, or even do not migrate north at all in spring, but 

 remain during the summer in their winter quarters. The return 

 migration commences with the young birds that leave their birth- 

 place almost as soon as they can fly, and reaching even such 

 southern localities as the West Indies by the end of July. During- 

 August and September the great bulk of birds pass south, and 

 then this species literally swarms in districts suited to its require- 

 ments. As is usual, the autumn passage is made much more 

 leisurely than the spring one, and the migrating parties of a dozen 

 or more individuals often remain for several weeks in a district 

 where food is abundant before passing on again. They are said 

 to fee very tame birds whilst on passage, probably because most 

 of them are young and ignorant of man's persecutions. During 



