SNIPE. 329 



down of a brownish white color, and are marked from the bill, along 

 the crown to the hind-head, with a broad stripe of deep brown ; another 

 line of the same passes through the eyes to the hind-head, curving 

 under the eye ; from the back to the rudiments of the tail runs another 

 of the same tint, and also on the sides under the wings ; the throat and 

 breast are considerably tinged with rufous ; and the quills, at this age, 

 are just bursting from their light blue sheaths, and appear marbled as 

 in the old birds ; the legs and bill are of a pale purplish ash color, the 

 latter about an inch long. When taken, they utter a long, clear, but 

 feeble peep, not louder than that of a mouse. They are far inferior to 

 young Partridges in running and skulking ; and should the female 

 unfortunately be killed, may easily be taken on the spot. 



Species III. SOOLOPAX GALLINAGO* 



SNIPE. 



[Plato XLVII. Fig. 1.] 



This bird is well known to our sportsmen ; and, if not the same, has 

 a very near resemblance to the common Snipe of Europe. It is usually 

 known by the name of the English Snipe, to distinguish it from the 

 Woodcock, and from several others of the same genus. It arrives in 

 Pennsylvania about the tenth of March, and remains in the low grounds 

 for several weeks ; the greater part then move off to the north, and to 

 the higher inland districts to breed. A few are occasionally found, and 

 consequently breed, in our low marshes during the summer. When 

 they first arrive, they are usually lean ; but when in good order are 

 accounted excellent eating. They are, perhaps, the most difficult to 

 shoot of all our birds, as they fly in sudden zigzag lines, and very 

 rapidly. Great numbers of these birds winter in the rice grounds of 

 the Southern States, where, in the month of February, they appeared 

 to be much tamer than they are usually here, as I frequently observed 



* In consequence of Wilson's doubts, whether this bird was the S. OaUinago or 

 not, he gave no synonymes. The Prince of Musignano, convinced that it was a 

 distinct species, adopted for it the name of Brehmii, under the impression that it was 

 identical with the Snipe lately discovered in Germany, and described under the 

 above-mentioned name. It appears to be neither the Gallinago nor the Brehmii, 

 but a bird peculiar to our country : In Mr. Ord's supplement to Wilson's Orni- 

 thology, it is classed under the name of Scolopax delicata. 



