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ORD. I. GEN. V. SNIPE. 



SPE. III. COMMON SNIPE. 

 PI. 159. 



Scolopax Gallinago. Lin. Syji. I. p. 244. 

 La Becafline. Brif. Orn. V. p. 398. 



This fpecies weighs about four ounces ; and the length, from bill to tail, Is twelve 

 inches The bill is dulky, three inches long, flat at the end, and often rough like fha- 

 green above and below : the eyes are hazel : the head is divided length-wife by two black 

 and three reddifh lines, one of the latter paffing down the middle of the crown, and one 

 above each eye: between the bill and eye is a dulky ftreak : the chin, breaft, and under 

 parts, are white : the neck and wings are varied with brown, and reddifh, and here and 

 there a little white : the fcapulars are beautifully ftriped lengthwife with black and yel- 

 low : the quills, dulky ; fome of the inner ones barred black and pale red : the coverts of 

 the tail are long, of a reddifh brown colour, and almoft cover the tail, which confifts of 

 fourteen black feathers, firft croffed with an orange bar, then with one of black, and pale 

 orange or white at the ends : the vent feathers are pale yellow : the legs pale green : the 

 toes divided to their origin. 



The fnipe is common throughout the known world, but with us is for the moft part 

 only a winter inhabitant, though feveral pairs breed in England every year in the fens. 

 It is not unlike the woodcock in appearance, except being much fmaller, yet it is very 

 unlike it in manners, for it never frequents woods, but confines itfelf to marfhy fixa- 

 tions. Like the woodcock it is dreffed without having the bowels taken out, and is 

 efteemed excellent food. Its flight is fwift, and irregular, fo that it is not very eafy to be 

 fhot. When it flies it utters a fhrill fcream. Its neft confifts of a fcanty bed of dry 

 plants, with a few feathers : the eggs are four or five in number ; fee PL XXXVI. 

 Fig. 1. 



