THE COMMON SNIPE 257 



been shot in a day. When disturbed on its feeding-ground, it rises 

 without uttering any note, and usually drops in again, at no great 

 distance, after the manner of the Jack Snipe. It may be distin- 

 guished by its larger size, and by carrying its tail spread like a fan. 

 In the northern countries where it breeds it is found most commonly 

 in the meadows after hay-harvest, and as it is much prized for the 

 delicacy of its flesh it is a favourite object of sport. It is remarkable 

 for being always in exceedingly good condition, a remark which 

 applies to specimens procured in this country as well as those shot 

 in Sweden. The nest, which has rarely been seen, is placed in a 

 tuft of grass, and contains four eggs. The Zoologist once mentioned 

 the fact of four solitary Snipes being kUled in the county of Durham 

 in August, and two of these were young birds, scarcely fledged. 



THE COMMON SNIPE 



GALLINAGO C^LESTIS 



Upper plumage very like the last ; chin and throat reddish white ; lower parts 

 white, without spots ; flanks barred transversely with white and dusky ; 

 tail of fourteen feathers. Length eleven and a half inches. Eggs lisiht 

 greenish yellow, spotted with brown and ash. 



The Common Snipe is a bird of very general distribution, being 

 found in all parts of the eastern hemisphere, from Ireland to Japan, 

 and from Siberia to the Cape of Good Hope. It is common also 

 in many parts of America, especially Carolina, and is frequent in 

 many of the American islands. In Britain, Snipes are most numer- 

 ous in the winter, their numbers being then increased by arrivals 

 from high latitudes, from which they are driven by the impossi- 

 bility of boring for food in ground hardened by frost or buried be- 

 neath snow. In September and October large flocks of these birds 

 arrive in the marshy districts of England, stopping sometimes for 

 a short time only, and then proceeding onwards ; but being like 

 many other birds, gregarious at no other time than when making 

 their migrations, when they have arrived at a district where they 

 intend to take up their residence, they scatter themselves over 

 marsh land, remaining in each other's neighbourhood perhaps, but 

 showing no tendency to flock together. Their food consists of the 

 creeping things which live in mud, and to this, it is said by some, 

 they add small seeds and fine vegetable fibre ; but it is questionable 

 whether this kind of food is not swallowed by accident, mixed up 

 with more nourishing diet. The end of their beak is furnished 

 with a soft pulpy membrane, which in all probability is highly 



B.B. S 



