GREAT SNIPE. 
barred with ferruginous : the lower part of the back 
brown, crossed with numerous greyish-white lines : 
tail-coverts pale rufous clay colour, barred with black- 
brown, and so long, as to cover the tail for two- 
thirds of its length : the tail when spread is rounded 
at the end ; the eight middle feathers are dusky for 
three-fourths of their length from the base, the rest 
of the length rufous, crossed with two or three bars 
of black ; but the four middle feathers are deep 
rufous, and the two on each side of these very pale 
the two outermost feathers on each side wholly black 
and white in alternate bars : the wing-coverts black- 
brown, spotted with rufous-white, the rest of the wing 
dusky black ; every feather but the greater quills 
tipped with white : beneath the wings beautifully 
crossed with white and dusky bars : the fore part of 
the neck is the same as behind : the breast, belly, 
and vent, crossed with numerous dusky bars, in- 
clining to a zigzag shape on the sides : legs pale 
bluish-bronze. 
It inhabits the extensive marshes and damp mea- 
dows of the North ; living upon worms, snails, and 
small beetles : its nest is formed in the marshes among 
the herbs and rushes ; it lays three or four eggs of a 
greenish colour, shaded and varied with large spots 
of deep brown. This species rarely occurs in Eng- 
land, but specimens have been taken in Lancashire, 
Kent, Suffolk, and Wiltshire : and it is probable that 
many are consigned to the palate of the epicure, from 
sportsmen considering them to be only fine and large 
specimens of the common species. It has been killed 
in Orkney in the winter. Dr. Latham suspects, and 
