having perhaps been several times shot at, become extremely wary, and
are left to entice others to join them, so that another day's sport may be
obtained. It is not rare to find some of these birds in the immediate vicinity
of Charleston, when they are pursued by the younger gunners, and
sometimes by keen sportsmen. I have known eight or ten procured by
one person in a short time, between that city and the race-ground, which
is scarcely a mile distant. They are also abundant in the wet savannahs
in the Floridas, from which they retire a few weeks earlier than from
Louisiana and the Carolinas, where some remain until the beginning of
April. During the whole of the winter months, these birds are observed
to ramble from one place to another, and a field which yesterday contained
a good number, has only a few to-day, and to-morrow may be quite deserted.
But before the end of a week, there you will find them again,
as abundant as at first. They rarely visit salt waters, and never resort
to the interior of the woods.
The flight of the Snipe while travelling to some distance, is performed
at a considerable elevation, by regular and quickly repeated beats of the
wings. Yet they do not appear as if pursuing a direct course, for every
now and then they deviate a little to either side. They pass over rapidly,
however, and are able to travel to a great distance in a short time. Their
migrations, although performed singly, or in small parties of a single family,
may be said to be in a manner continuous, as in the course of a few
days a whole section of country, in which none had been seen for several
months, becomes well supplied with them. When surprised by the sportsman,
or any other enemy, they usually rise at one spring, dash through
the air in a zig-zag course, a few feet from the ground, emit their cry
when about twenty yards distant, and at times continue to employ this
cunning mode of escape for sixty or seventy yards, after which they mount
into the air, and perform the rounds already described. I have found
the instant at which they utter their note of alarm the best for pulling
the trigger; but almost every sportsman has his peculiar fancy, and many
are glad to kill them the best way they can; for he who shoots thirty
snipes in succession, without missing one, is a good hand at any kind of
shooting. Sometimes the Snipe will squat with great pertinacity, and even
stand a pointer, while at other times it will not suffer either man or dog
to approach within fifty yards of it. This, however, depends much on
the state of the atmosphere. The finer and warmer the day, the easier I
have found it to get near them, and the smaller is the distance at which
they realight; whereas during drizzly weather, they fly off to a great distance.
When the Snipe alights within sight, and you are concealed and
silent, its movements can easily be observed. It first stands for an instant
in a half crouching attitude, as if to listen, then raises itself and
runs a few steps, when, if it be in any degree apprehensive of danger, it
squats, and there remains until put up. If all around is quiet, you see
it move in its ordinary manner, walking lightly, and with some grace, its
bill half inclined downwards, in search of a good spot to probe for food.
The instant it meets with this it sets to work, and thrusts its bill into the
mud or the damp soil, to a depth determined by the degree of softness of
the ground, repeating its thrusts eight, ten, or more times in quick succession.
When it has thus examined a spot, and perhaps found some
food, it walks off in search of another, and thus continues until it is satisfied,
when it generally lays itself down in a soft tuft of grass until the approach
of night, when it flies off and rambles about for exercise in comparative
security. When wounded, it runs with moderate speed, but, if
closely pursued, squats whenever a good opportunity occurs. It will at
times continue to run for fifty or more yards, after which, if you have not
a good dog, it is next to impossible to find it, for on such occasions it remains
perfectly silent. While travelling eastward from Charleston, in
the month of March, I found this Snipe perhaps more abundant near the
Great Santie River than any where else. We could see them with ease
from the carriage as they were walking over the rice-fields, as if in perfect
assurance of security.
The food of our Common Snipe consists principally of ground worms,
insects, and the juicy slender roots of different vegetables, all of which
tend to give its flesh that richness of flavour and juicy tenderness, for
which it is so deservedly renowned, it being equal to that of the woodcock.
Many epicures eat up both Snipe and Woodcock with all their
viscera, worms and insects to boot, the intestines in fact being considered
the most savoury parts. On opening some newly killed Snipes, I have
more than once found fine large and well-fed ground worms, and at times
a leech, which I must acknowledge I never conceived suitable articles of
food for man, and, for this reason, I have always taken good care to have
both Snipes and Woodcocks well cleaned, as all game ought to be.
To WILSON is due the merit of having first shewn the difference between
this bird and the Common Snipe of Europe; and it is honourable
for the ornithologists of that region of the globe to have dedicated our