RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 489 
greatly from the Common Snipe in its manners, and in many other 
peculiarities, a few of which, as far as] have myself observed, may 
be sketched as follows : — 
The Red-breasted Snipe arrives on the sea-coast of New Jersey 
early in April; is seldom or never seen inland: early in May, it pro- 
ceeds to the north to breed, and returns by the latter part of July, or 
beginning of August. During its stay here, it flies in flocks, some- 
times very high, and has then a loud and shrill whistle, making many 
evolutions over the marshes; forming, dividing, and re-uniting. They 
sometimes settle in such numbers, and so close together, that eighty- 
five have been shot at one discharge of a musket. They spring from 
the marshes with a loud, twirling whistle, generally rising high, and 
making several circuitous manceuvres in air before they descend. 
They frequent the sand bars and mud flats at low water, in search of 
food; and, being less suspicious of a boat than of a person on shore, 
are easily approached by this medium, and shot down in great num- 
bers. They usually keep by themselves, being very numerous; are in 
excellent order for the table in September; and, on the approach of 
winter, retire to the south. 
1 have frequently amused myself with the various action of these 
birds. They fly very rapidly, sometimes wheeling, coursing, and 
doubling along the surface of the marshes; then shooting high in air, 
there separating and forming in various bodies, uttering a kind of 
quivering whistle. Among many which I opened in May, were 
several females that had very little rufous below, and the backs were 
also much lighter, and less marbled with ferruginous. The eggs con- 
tained in their ovaries were some of them as large as garden peas. 
Their stomachs contained masses of those small snail shells that lie in 
millions on the salt marshes; the wrinkles at the base of the bill, and 
the red breast, are strong characters of this species, as also the mem- 
brane which unites the outer and middle toes together. 
other genera ; from these blending characters it had been termed Limosa scolopa- 
cea, by Say, who gave the characters of the form without applying the name. He 
has the following observations in the work above quoted :— 
“ Several specimens were shot in a pond near the Bowyer Creek. Corresponds 
with the genus Scolopax, Cuvier, in having the dorsal grooves at the tip of the 
upper mandible, and in having this part dilated and rugose ; but the eye is not 
large, nor is it placed far back upon the head; which two latter characiers, com- 
bined with its more elevated and slender figure, and the circumstance of the thighs 
being denudated of feathers high above the knee, and the exterior toe being united 
to the middle toe by a membrane which extends as far as the first joint, and the 
toes being also margined, combine to distinguish this species from those of the genus 
to which the form and characters of its bill would refer it, and approach it more 
closely to Limosa. In ove specimen, the two exterior primaries on each wing were 
light brown, but the quills were white. It may, perhaps, with ropriety, be consid- 
ered as the type of a new genus; and, under the following characters, be placed 
between the genera Scolopu.r and Limosa. Bill, longer than the head, dilated, and 
rugose at tip, slightly curved downwards, and with a dorsal groove ; nasal groove, 
elongated ; feet, long, an extensive naked space above the knee; toes, slightly 
margined, a membrane connecting the joints of the exterior toes ; first of the pri- 
maries, rather longest.” 
It is of rare occurrence in Europe, afew specimens only being mentioned, 
and a solitary instance of its appearance on the coast of Britain is recorded by 
Montagu. — Ep. 
