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CHAPTER IX. 
SNIPES AND WOODCOCKS : THE COMMON, GREAT, SABINE'S, 
AND JACK SNIPES WOODCOCK. 
UNDER the family head Scolopacince are included the 
Snipes, of which we have four species ; and the Wood- 
cocks, of which we have but one. 
The Snipes generally may be described as birds of small 
size, with ovate compact bodies, rather full, moderately long 
necks, rather small heads, and long flexible bills, which 
towards the ends are enlarged, comj)ressed, and slightly in- 
clined downwards. They are of more hideling habits than 
the Tattlers, which frequent open places, and often attract 
notice by their bold flight and clamorous cries. These 
birds, on the contrary, seek the retirement and security of 
swamps and bogs, and grounds where there are ditches and 
brooks, with their prolific growth of rushes and rank 
herbage for cover. They seek their food in a quiet sedate 
manner, and singly ; thrusting their long, delicately-sen- 
sitive, probe-like bills into the sand or mud, they suck up, 
as it were, the worms and larvo}, while the bill is yet im- 
mersed. They do not appear to pick insects up on the sur- 
face, nor to search the open parts, except by night ; when 
alarmed in their retreats, they do not fly up, but generally 
sit close and motionless. 
The Common Snipe {Scolopax galUnago), sometimes 
called the Moor, or Mire Snipe ; the Ileather-bliter, Bleater, 
or Blutter. — This is a bird well known to every English 
sportsman, who is often foiled in his aim by its zig-zag 
flight ; it is partly an immigrant, and partly a permanent 
resident, and may be found in almost any part of the 
country where there are moist and marshy places; its 
