160 AMERICAN GAME. 
shell-fish, and fry; after this time, commencing from the 
beginning of October, they move southward for winter 
quarters, although some species tarry later than others, 
and some loitering individuals of all the-species linger 
behind until they have assumed their winter garniture, 
. when they are again liable to be mistaken for unknown 
varieties. ; 
Of these misnamed Bay Snipe, the following are the 
species of each family most prized by the sportsman and 
the epicure, all of which are eagerly pursued by the 
-gunner, finding a ready sale at all times, although, me 
judice, their flesh is, for the most part, so oily, rank and 
sedgy, that they are rather nauseous than delicate or 
palatable. Much, however, depends on the state of 
their condition, the nature of the food on which they 
have fattened, and localities in which they feed; and 
to some persons the very flavor of which I complain 
as rank, sedgy and fishy, appears to take the guise of an 
agreeable haut gout. 
The Red-breasted Sandpiper, Zringa Icelandica, 
known on the Long Island waters, among the small 
islets of which it is very abundant, as the “ Robin 
Snipe,” by which name it is generally called, owing to 
the resemblance of its lower plumage to that of the Red- 
breasted Thrush, or Robin, Zurdus migratorius, of this 
continent. In autumn this bird assumes a dusky gray 
upper, and white under plumage, and is then termed 
the “ White Robin Snipe.” in point of flesh it is one of 
