SNIPE. 



223 



April. I was told by several people that they are abundant 

 in the Illinois country, up as far as Lake Michigan. They 

 are but seldom seen in Pennsylvania during the summer, but 

 are occasionally met with in considerable numbers on their 

 return in autumn, along the whole eastern side of the Alle- 

 ghany, from the sea to the mountains. They have the same 

 soaring irregular flight in the air in gloomy weather as the 

 snipe of Europe ; the same bleating note and occasional 

 rapid descent ; spring from the marshes with the like feeble 

 squeak ; and in every respect resemble the common snipe of 

 Britain, except in being about an inch less, and in having 

 sixteen feathers in the tail, instead of fourteen, the number 

 said by Bewick to be in that of Europe. From these cir- 

 cumstances, we must either conclude this to be a different 

 species, or partially changed by difference of climate : the 

 former appears to me the most probable opinion of the two. 



These birds abound in the meadows and low grounds along 

 our large rivers, particularly those that border the Schuylkill 

 and Delaware, from the 10th of March to the middle of April, 

 and sometimes later, and are eagerly sought after by many of 

 our gunners. The nature of the grounds, however, which these 

 birds frequent, the coldness of the season, and peculiar shyness 

 and agility of the game, render this amusement attractive only 

 to the most dexterous, active, and eager of our sportsmen. 



The snipe is eleven inches long, and seventeen inches in 

 extent ; the bill is more than two inches and a half long, fluted 

 lengthwise, of a brown colour, and black towards the tip, 

 where it is very smooth while the bird is alive, but, soon after 

 it is killed, becomes dimpled, like the end of a thimble ; 

 crown, black, divided by an irregular line of pale brown ; 

 another broader one of the same tint passes over each eye ; 

 from the bill to the eye, there is a narrow dusky line ; neck 

 and upper part of the breast, pale brown, variegated with 

 touches of white and dusky ; chin, pale ; back and scapulars, 

 deep velvety black, the latter elegantly marbled with waving 

 lines of ferruginous, and broadly edged exteriorly with white ; 



