The yack-Snipe or Judcock.
Numb. L X X X V I .
T T weighed two Ounces; its length from the tip of the Bill to the end
of the Claws were ten Inches and a quarter, to the end of the Tail
eight and a half; it is about half as big as a Snipe', the Colour of the
Rump is a ihining blewiih purple, like the Feathers of a Stare’s back;
the tips of the Feathers are white; the fcapular Feathers covering the
Back have their outward Border yellow, the middle part brown, with
red Spots; their inner Border is of a ihining blew, yet without any Mixture
of purple: The Neck is parti-coloured of brown, white, and pale
red; the top of the Head black, with a red Tincture; above the Eyes
pafs a broad Line of pale yellow; the Throat is o f a pale red, painted
with white and brown Spots; the Breaft and Belly are white; between the
Eyes and Bill is drawn a black Line or Border ; the Males in this Kind
differ from the Females neither in Colour,- nor .Magnitude. The prime
Feathers of the Wings are in number twenty four, of which the firft or
outmoft ten were brown or dusky; the tips of the next ten white; the
three laft or inmoft on the outiide the Shaft were'ftreaked with red
and black. The tips of the greater covert Feathers are white: The
lefler Row of Wing Feathers are black, but partly tipt with red.
The Bill was two Inches long; the upper Chap a. little longer than
the nether, towards the end broad and rough, with Points ('chamfered)
yet the very outmoft tip is fmooth; the Legs are bare above the Knees,
pale coloured with a dafh of green, the Toes divided to the bottom,
the Back-toe fmall, the Claws black. It feeds upon Beetles and other
Infedts. _ . „■
It hides itielf among Ruihes, not riling ibmetimes till you are juft
ready to let your Foot upon it: It is taken by fomefor the Cock of the
common Snipe; but upon difledting of them, there is found both Male
and Female o f this imall Kind.
M