BRITISH BIRDS. 
7^ 
The Snipe is migratory, and is met with in all 
countries: like the Woodcock, it fliuns the ex- 
tremes of heat and cold by keeping upon the bleak 
moors in fummer, and feeldng the flielter of the 
vallies in winter. In fevere frofts and ftorms of 
fnow, driven by the extremity of the weather, they 
feek the unfrozen boggy places, runners from 
fprings, or any open ftreamlet of water, and they 
are fure to be found, often in confiderable num- 
bers, in thefe places, where they fometimes fit till 
nearly trodden upon before they will take their 
flight. 
Although it is well known that numbers of Snipes 
leave Great Britain in the fpring, and return in the 
autumn, yet it is equally well afcertained that many 
conftantly remain and breed in various parts of the 
country, for their nefts and young ones have been 
fo often found as to leave no doubt of this fadt. 
The female makes her neft in the moft retired and 
inacceffible part of the morafs, generally under the 
flump of an alder or willow : it is compofed of 
withered grades and a few feathers : her eggs, four 
or five in number, are of an oblong fhape, and of 
a greenifh colour, with rufly fpots : the young ones 
run off foon after they are freed from the fhell, but 
they are attended by the parent birds until their 
bills have acquired a fufficient firmnefs to enable 
them to provide for themfelves. 
