SABINE^S SNIPE. 
273 
When shooting in Scotland, — in the counties of Ayr, Wigton, 
Dumfries, Perth, and Inverness, and in the island of Islay, — I 
have been surprised at the scarcity of snipes everywhere, as all 
persons accustomed to meet with them abundantly in Ireland 
must be. In beating a marsh which in the latter island would 
produce a score, often none at all, or only a solitary bird, would be 
sprung. This cannot, I presume, arise from such localities being 
less adapted to the species, but to the comparative infrequency of 
them over an extensive range of country. In some of the islands, 
according to Mr. Lloyd, snipes are occasionally plentiful, and 
in many parts of England snipe-shooting is still obtainable.'^ t 
SABINE^S SNIPE. 
Scolopax Sahini, Vigors. 
Has several times been obtained ; more frequently than 
in any other country. 
This singular bird was discovered in Ireland; the original one, 
described by Mr. Vigors, having been shot in Queen^s-county on 
the 2Istof August, 1822. Captain Bonham, of the lOth Hussars, 
at the request of a mutual friend, favoured me with the following 
particulars of the second native specimen, and at the same time 
had the bird most kindly sent from Brighton to London for my 
inspection. He observed : — I shot it at the end of November 
or beginning of December, 1827, about a mile from Garvagh, 
county of Londonderry, on the side of a high heathery hill rising 
from a large flow, or uncut turf-bog : common snipes were rising 
at the same place. The bird was tame, and did not squeak like 
* Sporting Review, October 1847, p. 256. 
f January 1849. Mr. P. Mackenzie, gamekeeper at Ardimersy, Islay, informs 
me that when acting in a similar capacity to Lord Londonderry some years ago, at 
Wynyard Park, Durham, he has, when partridge-shooting in the months of October, 
November, and December, and not looking particularly for snipes, often killed from 
thirteen to fifteen, and once twenty brace, in the country within seven miles of 
Stockton-on-Tees . 
VOL. II. 
T 
