82 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
migrations. Should these cripples remain in a locahty during- the sum- 
mer months, I have no doubt some of them might reproduce. 
According to Audubon, “ the food of our common snipe consists prin- 
cipally of ground- worms, insects and the juicy slender roots of different 
vegetables, all of which tend to give its flesh that richness of flavor and 
juicy tenderness for which it is so deservedly renowned, it being equal 
to that of the woodcock. Many epicures eat up both snipe and wood- 
cock with all their viscera, worms and insects to boot, the intestines, in 
fact, being considered the most savory parts. On opening some newly- 
killed snipe, I have more than once found flue large and well-fed ground- 
worms, and at times a leech, which I must acknowledge I never con- , 
ceived suitable articles of food for man, and for this reason I have always" 
taken good care to have both snipe and woodcocks well cleaned, as all 
game ought to be.” 
The food-materials found in viscera of twenty-five snipes examined by 
the author are as follows : 
No. 
Date. 
Locality. 
Food-Materials. 
1 
March 22. 1879. . . 
Birmingham, Pa. , . . . 
Water beetles and two seeds of smai’t-weed. * 
2 
March 22. 1879. . . 
Birmingham. Pa 
Water beetles and three seeds of smart-weed. 
3 
March 22. 1879. . . 
Birmingham. Pa 
Water beetles. 
4 
March 22, 1879. . . 
Birmingham, Pa., . . . 
Water beetles. 
5 
March 22. 1879. . . 
Birmingham, Pa 
Water beetles. 
(j 
March 23, 1879. . . 
Birmingham, Pa., . . . 
Beetles. 
7 
April 1, 1879, . . 
Westchester. Pa., . . 
Earth-worms and fragments of beetles. 
8 
April 2, 1879. . . 
West Goshen, Pa.. . . 
Earth-worms. 
9 
April 2, 1879, . . 
West Goshen. Pa.. . . 
Earth-worms. 
10 
April 2, 1879, . . 
West Goshen, Pa., . . 
Beetles and blades of grass. 
n 
April 2, 1879, . . 
West Goshen. Pa., . . 
Various insects. 
12 
April 7, 1879, . . 
West Chester, Pa. . . . 
Beetles and two seeds of smart-weed. 
13 
April 12. 1879. . 
Chester county. Pa. , . 
Vegetable matter apparently roots of small plant. 
14 
April 15. 1879, . . 
East Bradford, Pa. , . . 
Beetles. 
15 
April 15, 1879, . . 
Bast Bradford, Pa., . . 
Beetles. 
16 
April 22, 1879, . . 
East Bradford, Pa., . . 
Portions of grass blades and roots. 
17 
April 1, 1884, . . 
West Goshen, Pa., . . 
Small seeds and earth-worms. 
18 
May 3, 1884, . . 
East Bradford, Pa. . . . 
Beetles and earth-worms. 
19 
May 3, 1884, . . 
Bast Bradford, Pa. . . . 
Beetles. 
20 
May 6, 1884, . . 
East Bradford, Pa. . . . 
Beetles and earth-worms. 
21 
May 10, 1884, . . 
Bast Bradford, Pa. , . . 
Various insects and vegetable matter. 
22 
April 17, 1883, . . 
Chester county. Pa.. . 
Small seeds. 
23 
April 17, 1883, . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . 
Small seeds and earth-worms. 
24 
April 17, 1883, . . 
Chester county. Pa. . . 
Vegetable matter. 
25 
April 17, 1883, . . 
Chester county. Pa. . . 
Small seeds. 
* Polygonum. 
Genus MACRORHAMPHUS Leach. 
Macrorhamphus griseus (Gmel.). 
Dowitcher. 
Description. 
Bill similar to Wilson’s Snipe ; wings rather long and pointed ; about three-fourths 
of an inch of lower part of tibia bare ; front toes with basal webs especially between 
the middle and outer ; tail double-emarginate with twelve feathers ; Gallinago usu- 
ally has sixteen tail feathers ; sexes alike, but plumage varies much with age and 
season. Although this bird has a general resemblance to Wilson’s Snipe, it can 
easily be distinguished from it by basal webs of toes ; or even when flying by the 
white markings of lower back. 
