. Birds in their haunts, by the late C. A. Johns . -coverts tippedwith white ; under parts whitish, spotted and barred with black ; tailof sixteen feathers ; bill brown, flesh-coloured at the base. Lengtheleven and a half inches. Eggs brownish olive, spotted with reddishbrown. The Great Snipe, Solitary Snipe or Double Snipe, is intermediatein size between the Woodcock and Common Snipe. Though notamong the rarest of our visitants, it is far from common. It is,however, an annual visitor, and is seen most frequently in theeastern counties in the autumn. Its principal resorts are low dampmeadows a
. Birds in their haunts, by the late C. A. Johns . -coverts tippedwith white ; under parts whitish, spotted and barred with black ; tailof sixteen feathers ; bill brown, flesh-coloured at the base. Lengtheleven and a half inches. Eggs brownish olive, spotted with reddishbrown. The Great Snipe, Solitary Snipe or Double Snipe, is intermediatein size between the Woodcock and Common Snipe. Though notamong the rarest of our visitants, it is far from common. It is,however, an annual visitor, and is seen most frequently in theeastern counties in the autumn. Its principal resorts are low dampmeadows and grassy places near marshes, but it does not frequentswamps Uke its congeners. This difference in its haunts implies adifferent diet, and this bird, it is stated, feeds principally on the larvaeor grubs of Tipulae (known by the common name of Father Daddy-Long-legs), which are in smnmer such voracious feeders on the rootsof grass. It breeds in the northern countries of Europe, and insome parts of Sweden is so abundant that as many as fifty have. Great SnipeCommon Snipe Jaclt Snipe gWoodcock J [face p C-5f>. THE COMMON SNIPE 257 been shot in a day. When disturbed on its feeding-ground, it riseswithout uttering any note, and usually drops in again, at no greatdistance, after the manner of the Jack Snipe. It may be distin-guished by its larger size, and by carrying its tail spread like a the northern countries where it breeds it is found most commonlyin the meadows after hay-harvest, and as it is much prized for thedelicacy of its flesh it is a favourite object of sport. It is remarkablefor being always in exceedingly good condition, a remark whichapplies to specimens procured in this country as well as those shotin Sweden. The nest, which has rarely been seen, is placed in atuft of grass, and contains four eggs. The Zoologist once mentionedthe fact of four solitary Snipes being kUled in the county of Durhamin August, and two of these were young birds, scarcely fledged
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishern, booksubjectbirds
