THE JACK SNIPE. 
178 
of herbage, where it hides, it might be captured by the 
hand. It leaves us early in the spring. Fond of con- 
cealment as this little bird usually is, yet there are 
times when it is infinitely less so than at others ; and, 
I think, upon the relenting of a frost, or when there is 
a tendency to a thaw, it shows unusual alacrity, springs 
from its rushy drain almost as readily as the common 
snipe, and occasions, for the moment, a doubt of the 
species. The mandible of this species is of a weak 
and spongy nature. 
The causes that influence this snipe to lead so soli- 
tary a life are particularly obscure, as well as those 
which stimulate some others to congregate, as we com- 
prehend no individual benefit to arise from such habits. 
Wild fowl, the rook, and some other birds, derive secu- 
rity, perhaps, from feeding in society, as a sentinel ap- 
pears to be placed by them at such times to give notice 
of danger; but our congregating small birds take no 
such precaution : security or mutual protection does not 
seem to be obtained by it, as the largeness of the flocks 
invites danger ; and warmth in the winter season it does 
not afford. For the purposes of migration, such asso- 
ciations are in many respects serviceable and consistent ; 
but in our resident species, considered in its various 
results, it becomes rather a subject of conjecture, than 
of expiration. Timid creatures associate commonly 
upon the apprehension of danger, and, without yielding 
any mutual support, become only the more obnoxious to 
evil ; and this snipe, though its habits are the very re- 
verse of connexion with its species, yet affords no clue 
to direct us to the causes of its unusual habits. These 
associations of some, and retirement of others, are not 
the capricious actions of an hour in a few individuals, 
but so regularly and annually observed in the several 
species, that they are manifestly appointed provisions 
of nature, though the object is unknown. This half- 
snipe, as our sportsmen call it, has rather generally 
been considered by our young shooters as the male of 
the larger species, or common snipe (scolopax gallinago); 
yet it is difficult to assign any reason for the prevalence 
of such an idea, with those who have had many oppor- 
