Fogl. ii. p. 239), it is very generally distributed, but becomes rarer in the north above the 

 Lapland frontier, though it breeds up to about 69° N. lat. This gentleman, who gives a de- 

 tailed account of its range in that country, says that it arrives in Southern Finland about the 

 end of April, but does not reach Lapland before the end of May or the commencement of 

 June. In the autumn it leaves late in August or early in September, a few remaining in 

 Southern Finland up to the end of the latter month. I have received many specimens, both of 

 birds and eggs, from Archangel ; Messrs. Seebohm and Harvie-Brown met with it on the 

 Petchora, where it was, they say, rather abundant at Habariki in the beginning of June ; and 

 they likewise traced it down to the head of the delta, where it was much scarcer than Gallinago 

 major. They did not see it at Alexievka, nor elsewhere upon the tundra. 



In Central Russia the Common Snipe is very generally distributed, and Bogdanoff says that 

 it breeds in the SaratofF district. In the Ural it is more numerous than the Double Snipe ; and 

 Artzibascheff states that it is abundant on the Sarpa, especially on passage. 



According to Mr. Taczanowski the Common Snipe is numerous throughout Poland, arriving 

 about July and remaining until driven south by the snow and frost ; a few stragglers occasionally 

 remain over the winter. In all parts of North Germany where suitable ground is to be found 

 this Snipe breeds, in larger or smaller numbers, and in many places it is also met with through- 

 out the winter. 



This is the commonest of the Snipes in Denmark, both on passage and during the breeding- 

 season. The major portion arrive late in March, and leave about the end of September or in 

 October ; but some few remain over the winter, especially in mild seasons, and in places where 

 there are springs which keep the water from freezing. In the Rhenish provinces in Western 

 Germany, Mr. Carl Sachse informs me, the Snipe passes in the spring about the middle of 

 March, and again in the autumn late in September or early in October; but few remain to breed 

 in the lowlands, though in the elevated plateaux of the Westerwald (where there is plenty of 

 marshy ground) numbers remain to nest, and he found fresh eggs there late in March and early 

 in April. Some, but not many, remain throughout the winter. In Holland, Belgium, and 

 France it is chiefly found in the two seasons of passage, from August to October and in March 

 and April ; but a few remain to nest in North Brabant and Groningen and in South Holland, 

 and some nest also in portions of France. In Southern France large numbers winter in the 

 larger marshes. It is common in Portugal, and winters abundantly in Spain. Colonel Irby 

 says (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 175), it is "plentiful from October to February on the Spanish side 

 of the Straits ; and although better sport is to be had with this (in a sporting sense) king of 

 birds on the Moorish side, the amusement is, as has been already stated, greatly reduced by the 

 want of accommodation and utter absence of comfort ; not that there is much of the latter in 

 many places on the Andalucian side. At Casa Vieja, Snipe sometimes arrive as early as the 

 beginning of September. I have heard of a straggler during August; but the greater quantity 

 do not put in an appearance till the end of October and the first week in November. They 

 commence their departure in March ; and by the first week in April all have disappeared except 

 a stray loiterer, perhaps a wounded bird. I once noticed one as late as the 3rd of May, having 

 observed it for several days previously in the same situation, and would not shoot it, as I wished 

 to see how long it would remain : this bird did not appear to have any thing the matter with it. 



