JACK SNIPE. 
185 
found within a limited space. We have never, 
however, known them congregate in small parties, 
as the common Snipe does, or rise in more than a 
single hird at a time. It may be interesting to know 
how the migration is performed. They are far from 
being shy, though at times we have seen them rise 
“ wild but, in general, they will allow the sports- 
man to approach very near, sometimes within a 
few feet, and lie squatted on the ground with the 
head and bill stretched out before, unmindful of 
cover, but selecting any inequality, hollow, or foot- 
step, to screen themselves. 
In regard to the incubation of the Jack Snipe, 
we may say, that attempts to discover its nest in 
this country have hitherto been unavailing. Mr. 
Yarrell has been at pains to collect all the informa- 
tion and evidence on the subject, but, among the 
few notices of the occurrence of the eggs, we cannot 
trace authenticity, while the straggling instances 
which have occurred, of the bird being sometimes 
shot during summer, must be attributed to other 
circumstances than the occasional remaining of some 
pairs for the purpose of breeding. 
They are, however, as before stated, a very late 
bird in leaving us, and are regularly seen with the 
London poulterers in the first week of April.* In 
an excursion to Sutherlandshire, some years since, 
we thought we had found a breeding station for this 
bird near Tongue. The gamekeeper there, an intel- 
ligent man, said, that he frequently met with them 
* Yarrell. 
