338 
RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 
in its manners, and in many other peculiarities, a few of 
which, as far as I have myself observed, may be sketched as 
follows : — 
The Red-breasted Snipe arrives on the sea coast of New 
Jersey early in April; is seldom or never seen inland: early 
in May, it proceeds to the north to breed, and returns by the 
latter part of July, or beginning of August. During its stay 
here, it flies in flocks, sometimes very high, and has then a 
loud and shrill whistle, making many evolutions over the 
marshes ; forming, dividing, and reuniting. They sometimes 
settle in such numbers, and so close together, that eighty-five 
have been shot at one discharge of a musket. They spring 
from the marshes with a loud twirling whistle, generally 
rising high, and making several circuitous manoeuvres in air 
before they descend. They frequent the sand bars and mud 
flats at low water, in search of food ; and, being less suspicious 
of a boat than of a person on shore, are easily approached by 
this medium, and shot down in great numbers. They usually 
keep by themselves, being very numerous ; are in excellent 
order for the table in September ; and, on the approach of 
winter, retire to the south. 
I have frequently amused myself with the various action of 
these birds. They fly very rapidly, sometimes wheeling, 
coursing, and doubling along the surface of the marshes ; then 
shooting high in air, there separating and forming in various 
bodies, uttering a kind of quivering whistle. Among many 
which I opened in May, were several females that had very 
little rufous below, and the backs were also much lighter, and 
less marbled with ferruginous. The eggs contained in their 
ovaries were some of them as large as garden peas. Their 
curved downwards, and with a dorsal groove ; nasal groove, elongated ; feet, 
long, an extensive naked space above the knee; toes, slightly margined, a 
membrane connecting the joints of the exterior toes ; first of the primaries, 
rather longest.” 
It is of rare occurrence in Europe, a few specimens only being mentioned, 
and a solitary instance of its appearance on the coast of Britain is recorded by 
Montagu. — Ed. 
