Page 110

110                        SNIPE.
the tenth of April. I was told by several people, that they are
abundant in the Illinois country, up as far as lake Michigan.
They are but seldom seen in Pennsylvania during the summer,
but are occasionally met with in considerable numbers on their
return in autumn, along the whole eastern side of the Allegha-
ny, from the sea to the mountains. They have the same soar-
ing irregular flight in the air in gloomy weather as the Snipe
of Europe; the same bleating note, and occasional rapid descent;
spring from the marshes with the like feeble squeak; and in
every respect resemble the common Snipe of Britain, except
in being about an inch less; and in having sixteen feathers in
the tail instead of fourteen, the number said by Bewick to be
in that of Europe. From these circumstances, we must either
conclude this to be a different species, or partially changed by
difference of climate; the former appears to me the more pro-
bable opinion of the two.
  These birds abound in the meadows, and low grounds, along
our large rivers, particularly those that border the Schuylkill
and Delaware, from the tenth of March to the middle of April,
and sometimes later, and are eagerly sought after by many of our
gunners. The nature of the grounds, however, which these
birds frequent, the coldness of the season, and peculiar shyness
and agility of the game, render this amusement attractive only
to the most dexterous, active, and eager, of our sportsmen.
  The Snipe is eleven inches long, and seventeen inches in ex-
tent; the bill is more than two inches and a half long, fluted
lengthwise, of a brown colour, and black towards the tip, where
it is very smooth while the bird is alive, but soon after it is kil-
led becomes dimpled like the end of a thimble; crown black,
divided by an irregular line of pale brown; another broader one
of the same tint passes over each eye; from the bill to the eye
there is a narrow dusky line; neck, and upper part of the breast,
pale brown, variegated with touches of white and dusky; chin
pale; back and scapulars deep velvetty black, the latter elegant-
ly marbled with waving lines of ferruginous, and broadly edg-
ed exteriorly with white; wings plain dusky, all the feathers,