BRITISH BIRDS. 
59 
OF THE SNIPE. 
The bill is long, ftraight, narrow, flexible, and 
rather blunt at the tip ; the noflrils are linear, and 
lodged in a furrow ; the tongue is pointed and flen- 
der ; the toes divided, or very flightly connedled, 
and the back toe very fmall. 
This divifion of the numerous Scolopax genus of 
Linnaeus amounts, according to Latham, to about 
twenty fpecies, befides varieties, of which only the 
Woodcock, common Snipe, and Judcock, and their 
varieties, are accounted Britifli birds. 
Pennant has placed the Woodcock after the Cur- 
lews as the head of the Godwits and Snipes ; 
and others are of opinion that the Knot, from the 
fimilarity of its figure to that of the Woodcock, 
ought to be clalfed in this tribe. In thefe fub-di- 
vifions ornithologifls may vary their claflifications 
without end. As in a chain doubly fufpended, the 
rings of which gradually dimmifli towards the mid- 
dle, the leading features of fome particular bird may 
point it out as a head to a tribe ; others from fimila- 
rity of fhape, plumage, or habits, will form, by al- 
mofl imperceptible variations, the connecting links; 
and thofe which may be faid to compofe the curva- 
ture of the bottom, by gradations equally minute, 
will rife to the lafl ring of the other end, which, as 
the head of another tribe, will ,be marked with cha- 
racters very different from the firfl:. 
H2 
