72 Bird Day Book 



DOWITCHER 



OWITCHERS are divided into two races ; the present, which 

 is the eastern form, and the Long-billed Dowitcher, which is 

 supposed to be chiefly western. The former probably 

 breeds in northern Ungava and Arctic Islands and migrates 

 chiefly along the Atlantic coast; the latter breeds along the Arctic 

 coast west of Hudson Bay and migrates through the western part 

 of Mississippi Valley, both wintering from the Gulf States to South 

 America. Since the distinction is dependent wholly upon size and 

 length of bills, and these features among shore birds are always 

 very variable, they may well be considered as one variety, as in all 

 probability they are. 



Like most of the sandpipers a great difference exists between 

 the summer and winter plumage, the latter being composed only of 

 grays and whites. Although very small, only a trifle more than ten 

 inches in length, they are shot in great quantities ; while quite wary, 

 they very readily decoy and consequently are very easy to secure. 

 They are known by a great variety of names, most common of 

 which are red-breast, snipe, robin snipe, brown snipe, German snipe 

 and gray-back, some referring to the summer and some to the 

 winter plumages. They are quite gregarious and are usually seen in 

 large flocks during migrations, though sometimes a few mix with 

 flocks of other species. 



— Game Birds. 



m 



