128 
graham’s 
swift, rapid and easy flyer, and though rather shy when 
in exposed situations, can be allured to the decoys. When 
in good order the flesh of the Willet is very palatable, 
although not so greatly esteemed as its eggs, which really 
are delicious. 
Next to these come the Godwits, two in number, known 
by the unmeaning title of Marlin. 
The great Marbled Godwit, Limosa Fedoa, the “ Mar¬ 
lin.” This bird, though not very abundant, is a regular 
visitant of the seashores and bays in the spring and 
autumn. It is very watchful, and will permit of no near 
approach, unless some of its fellows are killed or wounded, 
when it will hover over the cripples, with loud, shrill 
cries, affording an easy opportunity of getting several bar¬ 
rels in succession into the flock. 
And the Hudsonian Godwit, Limosa Hudsonica , or the 
“ Ring-tailed Marlin,” is a still rarer and smaller variety 
than the last, of very similar habits and of equal excel¬ 
lence in flesh. It is far more common in the Middle 
States than in the Eastern districts, and is abundant in 
the wild and barren lands far to the northward. I have 
seen it shot, likewise, on the swamps of the Aux Canards , 
to which I have already referred. This is the larger of 
the three birds, lying uppermost, in the group, at the head 
of this article; it was sketched from a fine specimen shot 
on the Delaware in the month of May. It is thus de¬ 
scribed by Giraud in his excellent work on the Birds of 
Long Island : 
“Bill, blackish-brown, at base of lower mandible yel¬ 
low ; upper parts light-brown, marked with dull-brown, 
and a few small, white spots; neck all round brownish- 
gray ; lower parts white, largely marked with ferruginous; 
basal part of tail-feathers and a band crossing the rump, 
white. Adult with the bill slender, blackish-brown to¬ 
ward the tip, lighter at the base, particularly at the base 
of the lower mandible; a line of brownish-white from the 
bill to the eye; lower eyelid white. Throat white, spotted 
with rust color; head and neck brownish-gray; lower 
parts white, marked with large spots of ferruginous; 
under tail coverts barred with brownish-black and ferru¬ 
ginous ; tail brownish-black cast, a white band at the base ; 
a band over the rump ; tips of primary coverts and basis of 
quills white; upper tail-coverts brownish-black, their 
basis white; upper parts grayish-brown, scapulars marked 
with darker spots; feet bluish. Length fifteen inches and 
a half, wing eight and a half.” 
Among the various families of birds, which are all 
known, as I have stated, by the general title of Bay Snipe, 
there is but one Snipe proper, and that is one of the most 
numerous, and perhaps the most excellent of the tribes. 
The Redbreasted Snipe, Scolapax Noveboracensis —the 
“ Dowitcher,” the “ Quail Snipe,” the “ Brown Back.” 
A brace of these excellent and beautiful birds are de¬ 
picted as thrown carelessly on the ground, under the neck 
of the Ring-tailed Marlin, in the preceding sketch. 
This bird has the bill of the true snipe, Scolopax Ame- 
ricanus, excepting only that the knob at the tip of the 
upper mandible of the bill is less distinctly marked. The 
spring plumage of this bird, in which it is depicted above, 
is on the upper parts brownish-black, variegated with 
clove-brown, and light reddish-brown, the secondaries 
and wing-coverts tipped and edged with white. Lower 
parts bright orange colored ferruginous, spotted with 
dusky, arrow-headed spots. The abdomen paler. The 
tail-feathers and upper tail-coverts alternately barred with 
black and white ; the legs and feet dull yellowish-green. 
“ At the close of April,” says Mr. Giraud, “ the Red¬ 
breasted Snipe arrive on the coasts of Long Island. In¬ 
vited by a bountiful supply of food, at the reflux of the 
tide, it resorts to the mud-flats and shoals to partake of 
MAGAZINE. 
the rich supply of shell-fish and insects which nature in 
her plenitude has provided for it. As the tide advances, 
it retires to the bog meadows, where it is seen probing 
the soft ground for worms. In the spring it remains with 
us but a short time. Soon after recruiting it obeys the un¬ 
erring call of nature, and steers for the north, where it 
passes the season of reproduction. About the middle of 
July it returns with its young, and continues its visit 
during September, and if the season be open, lingers 
about its favorite feeding grounds until the last of the 
month.” 
The specimens from which the above sketch is taken, 
were procured on the Delaware so late as the latter part 
of May ; but it must be remembered that this spring, 1850, 
was unusually late and backward. 
This snipe associates in large flocks, is very easily 
whistled, flics in dense and compact bodies over the de¬ 
coys, and is so gentle that, after half the flock has been 
cut down by the volleys of the lurking gunner, the re¬ 
mainder will frequently alight, and walk about demurely 
among their dead companions and the illusive decoys, until 
the pieces are reloaded, and the survivors decimated by a 
fresh discharge. 
Even when feeding on the open mud-flats, the Red¬ 
breasted Snipe is so tame as to allow itself to be ap¬ 
proached by the sportsman, with little or no address, run¬ 
ning about and feeding perfectly unsuspicious, until its 
enemy has come within short range, when it springs with 
its tremulous cry only to be riddled with the shot of the 
close discharge. 
The other of these birds worthy of the most atten¬ 
tion are, 
The Sunderling, Calidris Arenaria, which, though very 
small, is fat and excellent. 
The Black-bellied Plover, Charadrius Helveticus, 
“ Bull-headed,” or “ Beetle-headed Plover,” a shy bird, 
but frequently whistled within gunshot. On the coast it 
is apt to be fishy, but when shot inland, and on upland 
pastures, of superior quality. 
The American Golden Plover, Charadrius Marmoratus , 
“ the Frost bird;” a very beautiful species, and of rare 
excellence when killed on the upland, where it is found 
more frequently and more abundantly than on the shore. 
The Long-billed Curlew, numenius Longirostris , 
“ Sickle-bill,” a large, coarse-flavored bird, easily de¬ 
coyed. 
The Hudsonian Curlew, numenius Hudsonicus , “ Short¬ 
billed Curlew,” or “ Jack Curlew.” Similar to the latter 
in all respects, although smaller in size. 
And last, The Esquimaux Curlew, numenius Borealis , 
“ the Futes,” “ the Doe Bird.” This bird feeds princi¬ 
pally on the uplands, in company with the golden plovers, 
and on the same food, videlicet , grasshoppers, insects, 
seeds, worms, and berries. Its flesh is delicate and high 
flavored. It breeds far to the north, and winters far to the 
south of the United States, residing with us from early in 
August until late in November. 
With this bird, although there are numerous other 
smaller species, the list of these tribes may be held 
complete. 
From the commencement of the present month until late 
in the autumn, anywhere along the coasts and bays of the 
Northern and Middle States a bag may readily be filled to 
overflowing with these varieties by the aid of good decoys 
and skillful whistling, or of a skiff paddled by a cunning 
fowler; a gun of 8 to 10 pounds weight, of 12 guage, with 
two oz. of No. 5 shot, and an equal measure of powder, 
will do the work. But when the work is done, com¬ 
paratively the game is worthless, and the sport, as com¬ 
pared with upland shooting, scarcely worth the having. 
