ii5 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



across 



the Atlantic, according to its state of plumage, tlie " Red-breasted," the 

 Brown," and the "Grey" Snipe) breeds in the far north of the American 

 Continent, ranging to Greenland. It is possibly due to the fact of its occurring 

 in the latter, that it is met with so frequently in Western Europe, there being 

 undoubtedly a considerable migration of birds from thence south-eastwards. About 

 a dozen undoubted examples have been obtained in England (chiefly in early 

 autumn), one or two in Scotland, and two in *Ireland ; it has also been shot in 

 Western France. 



Description of the adult (Alaska, 6, 5, '69, e mus. H. E. Dresser) : bill long 

 (2i-2i inches), nearly black, broadened at the tip, and resembling that of the next 

 species; crown, shoulders, secondaries, nearly black, the feathers margined with 

 rufous, and tipped faintly with white; wing-quills sooty, the first primary, only, 

 with a white shaft ; feathers of back white, with black centres ; tail and tail- 

 coverts white, barred with black and tinged with rufous; sides of head (except 

 the brown lores), neck, breast, and under parts, rufous, spotted (except on the 

 belly) with brown ; axillaries white, barred with black ; feet (the toes connected 

 at their bases with a web) light olive. Length 11 inches, closed wing 54-52- 



In winter, the black above and the rufous below is lost, and the bird, as 

 Saunders aptly says, suggests a big Dunlin in winter dress with a Snipe's bill 

 (except in the black and white tail and under tail-coverts). But it may be 

 distinguished at all seasons from any Snipe by its partially webbed feet, white 

 shaft to the sooty first primary, black and white rump and tail. (N.B. — In winter 

 the rump gets to look nearly pure white, owing to the black centres being 

 obscured by the broad white margins of the feathers). 



It breeds in marshes, laying its four eggs in a hollow on the top of a tussock. 

 As it breeds in the extreme north, its nest has seldom been taken. The American 

 expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska (see Murdoch, "Report on Birds" in General 

 Report) ascertained that both sexes of this bird incubate, as evidenced bj^ bare 

 hatching spots on their breasts, but they did not actually find the nest. It feeds, 

 like Snipe, by probing the mud for worms, etc., the bill shewing the same 

 arrangement of sensory pits in the bone near the tip, as has been alluded to in 

 the case of the Woodcock and true Snipe. This seems to be a foolishly tame 

 bird, and is only shot by " greedy gunners " (Elliott Cones) or those whose dinner 

 depends on their gun — or by those who are in need of specimens. It seems to 

 be a very silent bird also, merely uttering occasional!}' a " weet." Dresser (" Birds 

 of Europe," vol. viii, p. 188-90) gives some good field notes. 



• "Zoologist," 1893, p. 433 and "Zoologist," 1894, p. 63. — H.A 



,M. 



