224 snipe. 



ground, among the grass of salt marshes, &c. composed of wet 

 rushes and coarse grass, forming a slight hollow, or cavity in a 

 tussock, and gradually increased during the period of laying and 

 sitting, to the height of five or six inches; the eggs usually four, 

 very thick at the great end, tapering to a narrower point at the 

 other, two inches or more in length, by one inch and a half at their 

 greatest breadth, colour dark dingy olive, largely blotched with 

 blackish brown, particularly at the great end ; the contents of them 

 are excellent : it is observed, that during incubation the bird is in 

 an almost upright position, as is the practice of several other species 

 which breed in the marshes : the food consists of small shell fish, 

 marine worms, and other aquatic insects, They gradually disappear 

 in October and November. 



M. Temminck observes, that an individual now and then makes 

 its appearance in the north of Europe. 



A. — Length fourteen inches. Bill two inches long, stout, and 

 black ; the upper mandible inclining downwards at the tip, the 

 under upwards ; from the nostrils to the eye a whitish streak ; 

 plnmage above fine, pale greyish ash-colour, a little mottled on 

 the lesser wing coverts, and the largest with white margins ; second 

 quills white, but seven or eight of the outer mottled at the sides and 

 ends; base of the prime ones white half way, the rest to the points 

 dusky black, the exterior longest ; rump mottled with whitish ; 

 upper tail coverts white ; beneath the body from the breast to vent 

 white ; under wing coverts dusky and white mottled, inclining to 

 chestnut brown ; tail three inches long, even, the two middle feathers 

 like the back, the others whitish half way from the base, mottled 

 for one-fourth from the ends with very pale ash, mixed with dusky 

 white ; thighs and legs each three inches in length, bare above the 

 joint for one inch and a half; colour of the bare parts and shins 

 greenish black. 



