60 SCOLOPACID.E. 



until we have killed several of the present species ; and as the 

 Jack Snipe is by far more exclusively attached to particular 

 situations tlia«i any other of its family, we invariably pay 

 certain spots in our neighbourhood an annual visit, in order 

 that we may ascertain if there is a chance of finding Snipes. 

 About the second or third week in September, the Jack 

 Snipe is usually at its post, and from a week to a fortnight 

 after that time the common Snipe is heard towards the evening 

 to alight in the wet meadows and ditches. 



The Jack Snipe travels during the night, feeds early and 

 late, and roosts or sleeps during the day. 



The general appearance of the Jack Snipe when walking 

 on the ground, is hardly possible to describe, since we have 

 never seen one of these beautiful creatures on its legs, but 

 invariably lying close to the ground ; its flight is not by far 

 so swift as that of the common Snipe, is very unsteady, and 

 most of all resembling that of the bat, as it rolls about from 

 side to side, fluttering its wings irregularly. A sportsman 

 going in pursuit of the Jack Snipe, requires some practice 

 to make sure of the bird, and ought not to be in a hurry to 

 fire at it before he marks the direction the bird intends to 

 take when at a certain height from the ground. It affords 

 some merriment to see an inexperienced hand meet with 

 a Jack Snipe, as the bird is not easily shot, and settles 

 generally close to the spot it has left ; thus the unpractised 

 sportsman fires a good many shots at the same bird before he 

 obtains it. 



The food of the bird in question consists in aquatic insects, 

 larvfe, and small worms, for which it bores the mud, or soft 

 wet sand. 



Respecting the breeding of the Jack Snipe we know very 

 little, as the bird is rarely met with during the summer 

 months ; we are informed, however, that great numbers 



