152 BROWN SNIPE. 



seen inland. Early in May it proceeds 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, sometimes 

 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 Avhistle, generally rising high, and making 

 several circuitous manoeuvres in the 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 numbers. 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." 



Of its food, Wilson states that "their stomachs contained masses of those small snail 

 shells that lie in millions on the salt marshes." When feeding on the flats left uncovered 

 by the tide, it probably feeds on the small Crustacea and other insects, so numerous in 

 such situations. 



In the summer, the plumage above is marked with black, cut into by narrow waves 

 of brownish yellow; the rump and tail coverts are white, the tip of each feather marked 

 with a crescent-formed spot of black on the tip, and barred diagonally with the same 

 colour; the tail is also white, slightly tinted with rufous, and with all the feathers barred 

 with black. Beneath, the throat, neck, breast, and flanks are orange brown, each feather 

 tipped and barred with black ; these colours gradually disappear downwards, and the centre 

 of the belly, with the vent, are pure white. 



In the winter the plumage is of a grayish brown on the head and neck, deeper on 

 the back and wings, and these, in some states, have the feathers edged with paler 

 margins. There is a tinge of rufous on the breast, but the lower part and the belly, 

 with the chin, are white. The tail and its coverts are similar in all states, a slightly 

 deeper rufous tinge on the former during summer. The axillary feathers are white, 

 barred with black; quills are deep hair brown; shafts of the first broad and white. It 

 may be observed, that, from the month of April until winter, various intermediate states 

 of plumage are passed through, often very beautiful. 



The young exhibit a good deal of rufous on the under parts, when in their first 

 feathers. (Jardine.) 



The weight of this bird is about three ounces and a quarter. 



In length it measures from ten to eleven inches. The bill measures two inches and 

 a quarter to two inches and a half. 



