188 
CHARADRI I FORMES 
The Plicated Woodpecker, Cock of the Woods, sometimes called 
“Woodcock” (page 280), is an entirely different bird and should not be 
confused with the real Woodcock. It cannot be legally hunted at all. 
229. Common Old World Snipe, la becassine ordinaire du vieux monde. 
Capella gallinago. L, 11-25. Practically indistinguishable from Wilson’s Snipe except 
that the axillars and under wing surface contain more white. The blackish barring of the 
axillars is reduced to distinctly less than the white, or is nearly absent (Figure 269). 
Distribution. Northern parts of Eastern Hemisphere. There are no strictly Can- 
adian records, but it has been taken at Mokkovik, Labrador. 
Figure 269 
Axillars of: a, Wilson’s Snipe; b, European 
Common Snipe; scale, -J. 
230. Wilson’s Snipe. American jack snipe, la becassine de wilson. Capella 
delicata. L, 11-25. Plate XXIII A. 
Distinctions. A sandpiper-like bird, with a very long bill (2-5 and over), dressed in 
wood-browns, ochre, and white. The brick-red tail barred with black and whitening on 
the outer feathers, will distinguish it if necessary. The dowitcher is the only wader of 
similar size having so long a bill, but its rump and back are largely white. 
Field Marks. Grassy meadow' habitat, long bill, and peculiar cork-screw flight as it 
rises with harsh “scape, scape ,” note, together with size, general coloration, and reddish 
tail. 
Nesting. On the ground, in grassy meadows. 
Distribution. Across the continent. Breeds throughout the Canadian west except 
perhaps in the most southern parts. 
Wilson’s Snipe, commonly, though incorrectly called '“Jack Snipe” 
or just “Snipe,” is one of the sportsman’s favourites. Its appearance on 
the scene with the first keen frosts, in considerable numbers, with its lying 
well to a clog, and having an irregular, twisty flight, make a combination 
of qualities that endear it to the true sportsman who desires a test of 
dexterity rather than food. 
It is still permissible under the terms of the Migratory Birds Conven- 
tion Act to hunt this snipe. 
Throughout most of the prairies in spring and early summer the 
hollow, rapidly repeated, dull whistle of its love flight can be heard at all 
times of the day, while its author circles about so high as to be hardly 
discernible with the naked eye. It has been demonstrated that this sound 
is made by the air against the stiffly held outer tail feathers and can be 
exactly imitated by inserting these feathers in opposite sides of a cork 
and whirling the same about at the end of a string. 
230. 2. Jack Snipe, la becassine sourde. Lymnocryptes minimus. L, 7-5. 
Very much like Wilson’s Snipe but much smaller, w r ing scarcely over 4 inches. The back 
with iridescent streaks along the inner edge of the tertials and the tail solid dusky without 
crossbarring. 
Distribution. Eastern Hemisphere. There are no strictly Canadian records, but it 
has been taken at Mokkovik, Labrador. 
