SEMI-PALM A TED SNIPE. 
321 
the female often resorts to the sea shore, where, standing up 
to the belly in water, she washes and dresses her plumage, 
seeming to enjoy great satisfaction from these frequent 
immersions. She is also at other times seen to wade more in 
the water than most of her tribe ; and, when wounded in the 
wing, will take to the water without hesitation, and swims 
tolerably well. 
The eggs of the Willet, in every instance which has come 
under my observation, are placed, during incubation, in an 
almost upright position, with the large end uppermost ; and 
this appears to be the constant practice of several other species 
of birds that breed in these marshes. During the laying season, 
the Crows are seen roaming over the marshes in search of 
eggs, and wherever they come spread consternation and alarm 
among the Willets, who, in united numbers, attack and pursue 
them with loud clamours. It is worthy of remark, that, 
among the various birds that breed in these marshes, a mutual 
respect is paid to each other’s eggs ; and it is only from 
intruders from the land side, such as crows, jays, weasels, 
foxes, minx, and man himself, that these affectionate tribes 
have most to dread. 
The Willet subsists chiefly on small shell fish, marine 
worms, and other aquatic insects ; in search of which, it 
regularly resorts to the muddy shores and flats at low water, 
its general rendezvous being the marshes. 
This bird has a summer and also a winter dress, its colours 
differing so much in these seasons as scarcely to appear to be 
the same species. Our figure in the plate exhibits it in its spring 
and summer plumage, which in a good specimen is as follows : — 
Length, fifteen inches ; extent, thirty inches ; upper parts, 
dark olive brown ; the feathers, streaked down the centre, and 
crossed with waving lines of black ; wing-coverts, light olive 
ash, and the whole upper parts sprinkled with touches of dull 
yellowish white ; primaries, black, white at the root half ; 
secondaries, white, bordered with brown ; rump, dark brown ; 
tail, rounded, twelve feathers, pale olive, waved with bars of 
VOL. II. 
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