!the Snipe, or Suite. Gallinago minor.
Nufab. LXXI.
ITS Length From the Point of the Bill to the End of the Tail is twelve Inches
and a quarter; its Breadth when the Wings are extended fixteen
Inches; Weight three Ounces and fix Drams: A pale red Line divides the
Head in the middle longways,and on each Side parallel theretp, a Lift of black,
and without the black over the Eyes, another Line of the fame Colour with
that drawn along the middle of the Head; between the Eyes and the Bill
are a dusky brown Line ; the Chin under the Bill is white; the long Feathers
fpringing from the Shoulders reach almoft to the Tail, having their
outward half from the ihaft of a pale red, the inner black and glittering,
and their Tips red; which Colours fucceeding one another, make two Lines
down the Back; the covert Feathers of the Back are dusky with tranfverfe
white Lines; thofe incumbent on the Tail are red crofted with black Lines;
the greater covert Feathers of the Wings are dusky, with white Tips, the
lefler are party-coloured with black, red and grey, and the infide Coverts
are curioufly variegated with brown and white Lines. The quill Feathers
of the Wings are twenty four in Number, of which the outer Edge of the
outermoft is white almoft to the "Tip; of the fucceeding the Tips arefome-
thing white, but more clearly from the eleventh to the twenty firft, elfe
they are all brown, but the laft five are variegated with tranfverfe black
and pale red Lines. The Tail is compos’d of twelve Feathers two Inches
and a half long; the Tips of its outermoft Feathers are white, the reft of
the Feathers are varied with crofs Bars of brown, and grey or pale red Colour;
the reft of the Tail Feathers are variegated with black, brown, red and white,
with fome dusky Spots, and are not exactly alike in all Birds; the Bill is almoft
three Inches long, black at the Tip, and fomewhat broad and chamfered
; the Tongue is iharp, the Irides of the Eyes are hazel coloured; the Legs
are of a pale green, the Talons black, the Toes long andfeparated from the
firft Rife, without any Connection or Cohefion, and the back Toe is very
fmall. The Liver is divided into two Lobes, with a large Gall appendent;
the Stomach is not fleihy: Its Fleih is tender, fweet, and of an excellent Reliih.
It lives chiefly on the fat unCtuous Humour it fucks out of the Earth ;
but feeds alfo on Worms and other InfeCts. Some of thefe Birds abide with
us all the Summer, and build in our Moors and Marihes, laying four or
five Eggs at a breeding Time : The greateft Part of them leave us, and
fly into other Countries; they feed in fenny Places and Drains of Water,
z The