THE LIVING WORLD. 
39 1 
WHIMBREL. 
The curlew builds its nest upon the ground, sometimes upon high hills 
in the dry vegetation, but more often in marshy localities. Four eggs are 
usually deposited, of a brownish green color, and the smaller ends of the eggs 
are always laid together. The general color 
of the bird is a dark brown, with wing cov¬ 
erts edged with white. The height is about two 
feet. 
The Whimbrel (N. phicopus ), often called 
the Jack Curlew, is found upon the Shetland 
Islands, but so nearly resembles the curlew in 
appearance and habits that the two are easily 
confounded. The cry of the latter, however, is 
very different, resembling in sound the word 
titterel. 
The Godwit (Lineosa cegocephala) is a 
rather common bird about the fenlands and 
marshy districts of the southeast, being especially 
numerous in Florida. They are small, and bear 
a striking resemblance to the jacksnipe, and 
their flesh is equally esteemed. Like others of 
the species, it nests upon the ground, and lays four eggs of light brown color. 
The Jacksnipe ( Gallinago gallinuta ) is a common visitor to the Northern 
States in the spring and fall, going North to breed, and returning to the South to 
spend the winter. In the Mid¬ 
dle States it makes its appear¬ 
ance,. coming from the South, 
early in April, . though some¬ 
times earlier, and remains for 
about six weeks, wdien it pro¬ 
ceeds northward as far as Brit¬ 
ish America, where it breeds. 
On the return it again halts 
during October and November, 
bringing its full-fledged brood, 
when it is usually in splendid 
condition. It generally haunts 
marshy grounds, though I once 
saw a large flock feeding on 
the high sand hills of Dakota. 
The bird has grown much 
wilder in latter years, on account 
of its persistent persecution by 
hunters. When put up it 
starts off in a zigzag or ec¬ 
centric direction, uttering a 
coarse schraik , but soon takes 
a straight course. The sports¬ 
man who makes a success hunting this bird must reserve his fire until 
the snipe assumes a regular flight, which it does before traversing more 
SNIPE CARRYING HER YOUNG. 
