342 RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 



in its manners, and in many other peculiarities, a few of 

 which, as far as I have myself observed, may be sketched as 

 follows : — 



The red-breasted snipe arrives on the sea-coast of New 

 Jersey early in April ; is seldom or never seen inland : early 

 in May it proceeds to the north to breed, and returns by the 

 latter part of July or beginning of August. During its stay 

 here, it flies in flocks, sometimes very high, and has then a 

 loud and shrill whistle, making many evolutions over the 

 marshes, forming, dividing, and reuniting. They sometimes 

 settle in such numbers, and so close together, that eighty-five 

 have been shot at one discharge of a musket. They spring 

 from the marshes with a loud twirling whistle, generally 

 rising high, and making several circuitous manoeuvres in air 

 before they descend. They frequent the sandbars and mud 

 flats at low water in search of food ; and being less suspicious 

 of a boat than of a person on shore, are easily approached by 

 this medium, and shot down in great numbers. They usually 

 keep by themselves, being very numerous ; are in excellent 

 order for the table in September ; and on the approach of 

 winter retire to the south. 



I have frequently amused myself with the various action 

 of these birds. They fly very rapidly, sometimes wheeling, 

 coursing, and doubling along the surface of the marshes ; then 

 shooting high in air, there separating and forming in various 

 bodies, uttering a kind of quivering whistle. Among many 

 which I opened in May, were several females that had very 

 little rufous below, and the backs were also much lighter, and 

 less marbled with ferruginous. The eggs contained in their 

 ovaries were some of them as large as garden peas. Their 



head, dilated, and rugose at tip, slightly curved downwards, and with 

 a dorsal groove ; nasal groove, elongated ; feet, long, an extensive naked 

 space ahove the knee ; toes, slightly margined, a membrane connecting 

 the joints of the exterior toes ; hrst of the primaries, rather longest." 



It is of rare occurrence in Europe, a few specimens only being men- 

 tioned, and a solitary instance of its appearance on the coast of Britain 

 is recorded bv Montagu. — Ed. 



