Class II. COMMON SNIPE. 449 



concealed in the rufhes, &c. In the fummer they 

 difperfe to different parts, and are found in the 

 midft of our highefl mountains, as well as our 

 low moors : their neft is made of dried grafs -, they 

 lay four eggs of a dirty olive color, marked with 

 dufky fpots ; their young are fo often found in 

 England, that we doubt whether they ever entirely 

 leave this ifland. When they are difturbed much, 

 particularly in the breeding feafon, they foar to a 

 vafl height, making a lingular bleating noife ; and 

 when they defcend, dart down with vail rapidity : 

 it is* alfo amufing to obferve the cock (while his 

 mate fits on her eggs) poife himfeif on his wings, 

 making fometimes a whiffling and fometimes a 

 drumming noife. Their food is the fame with that 

 of the woodcock ; their flight very irregular and 

 fwift, and attended with a ihrill fcream. They are 

 moil univerfal birds, found in every quarter of the 

 globe, and in all climates. 



This fpecies weighs four ounces; the length, to Descrif. 

 the end of the tail, is near twelve inches : the 

 breadth about fourteen : the bill is three inches long, 

 of a dufky color, flat at the end, and often rough 

 like fhagrin above and below. The head is di- 

 vided lengthways with two black lines, and three 

 of red, one of the laft patting over the middle of the 

 head, and one above each eye ; between the bill 

 and the eyes is a dufky line: the chin is white: the 

 neck is varied with brown and red. 



The fcapulars are beautifully ftriped lengthways 



with 



