SEMI-PALMATE D SNIPE. 325 



they occasionally alight, and slowly shut their long white 

 wings speckled with black, they have a mournful note expres- 

 sive of great tenderness. During the term of incubation, the 

 female often resorts to the sea-shore, where, standing up to the 

 belly in water, she washes and dresses her plumage, seeming 

 to enjoy great satisfaction from these frequent immersions. She 

 is also at other times seen to wade more in the water than 

 most of her tribe ; and when wounded in the wing, will take 

 to the water without hesitation, and swims tolerably well. 



The eggs of the willet, in every instance which has come 

 under my observation, are placed, during incubation, in an 

 almost upright position, with the large end uppermost ; and 

 this appears to be the constant practice of several other species 

 of birds that breed in these marshes. Daring the laying 

 season, the crows are seen roaming over the marshes in search 

 of eggs, and wherever they come, spread consternation and 

 alarm among the willets, who, in united numbers, attack and 

 pursue them with loud clamours. It is worthy of remark, that 

 among the various birds that breed in these marshes, a mutual 

 respect is paid to each other's eggs ; and it is only from in- 

 truders from the land side, such as crows, jays, weasels, foxes, 

 minx, and man himself, that these affectionate tribes have 

 most to dread. 



The willet subsists chiefly on small shell-fish, marine 

 worms, and other aquatic insects; in search of which it 

 regularly resorts to the muddy shores and flats at low water, 

 its general rendezvous being the marshes. 



This bird has a summer and also a winter dress, its colours 

 differing so much in these seasons as scarcely to appear to be 

 the same species. Our figure in the plate exhibits it in its 

 spring and summer plumage, which in a good specimen is as 

 follows : — 



Length, fifteen inches ; extent, thirty inches ; upper parts, 

 dark olive brown ; the feathers, streaked down the centre, and 

 crossed with waving lines of black ; wing-coverts, light olive 

 ash, and the whole upper parts sprinkled with touches of 



