Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, NIC-PAR

54tf
Gaailinula
547
Glottis.
54s
Calidris.
549
Tctanut.
O B N I T
aiul sometimes soariag almost out of sight. From its vi-
gilanei' ancj manner ot living, it is very diilicult to shoot j
hut some sportsmen can draw it within range of their
fowlimr-piece, by imitating its cries, and others aie com
tented to catch it in the night by springes. The snipe is
much esteemed as a delicious and well flavoured dish;
and though it is very fat, it rarely disagrees even with
the weakest stomach.
Jack-snipe, judcock? or gid.—Bill straight, tubercula-
ted; bodv variegated; legs greenish; lores blown;
Tump varied with violet; bill black; body variegated
with testaceous, black, violet, and glossy green ; head
with pale yellow and black lines, reaching Irom the bill
to the hind head; breast spotted ; belly and vent white.
Fight inches and a ha.lt long. Inhabits Furope, Asia,
and America. Is found in the same places with the pre¬
ceding, but is more solitary and rare. It will lie among
lushes, or other thick covert, till in danger of being
trampled on, and, when roused, seldom flies far. It
conies to us later than the common snipe, and is never
known to remain in this country during the breeding
season. It is as much esteemed as the snipe, and is
cooked in the same manner,
Greenshank.—V)\W straight, the lower base red; body
beneath snowy ; legs greenish ; bill black; the lower
mandible bending a little upwards; eyebrows and lower
part of the back white ; head, neck, and hack, pale ci¬
nereous ; shafts of the feathers spotted with brown; quill
feathers dusky, spotted with white on the inside; tail
white, with dusky lines; legs very long. Weight about
six ounces i length inches. Inhabits Furope, Asm,
and America. Is sometimes seen, in small flocks, on
our coasts, in winter ; as also in the marshes and tens
contiguous to the sea. Some few are supposed to remain
with us all the summer, and to breed in our fens. Ihe
greater part, however, retire northward to breed, and
are found in Sweden, Russia, and Siberia. Then flesh,
like all the rest of this genus, is well flavoured, and
reckoned good eating.
Jled.shank, oTpocl-snipe>~r-R ill straight, red; legs scar¬
let ; secondary quill feathers white ; bill black towards
the tip ; irides reddish hazel; head and neck cinereous
above; back and shoulders greenish-brown ; wing-co¬
verts cinereous, mixed with dusky and brown, and spot¬
ted with whitish; secondary quill feathers, except the
two inner ones, white towards the tip ; primary dusky,
the four or five inner onestipt with white; line over the
eyes white ; a dusky spot between the hill and eyes;
short dusky streaks on the chin and throat; under part
of the body and rump white, with small dusky spots ;
each of the tail feathers with 12 or 13 transverse black
lines. Weighs about five ounces, and is 12 inches long.
Inhabits Europe and America. Is not uncommon in
some parts of England, residing the greater part of the
year in the fen countries, where it breeds and rears its
young. It lays four eggs, which are whitish, tinged
with olive, and marked with irregular spots of black,
chiefly on the thicker end. When disturbed it flies
round its nest, making a noise like a lapwing. It is not
so common on the sea shores as several of its congeners,
and is of a solitary disposition, being mostly seen alone,
or only in pairs.
Spotted snipe, red-legged godwit, or spotted redshank.
—Blackish, with white spots ; white beneath ; lines on
Gra’la.
5 So
H O L O G Y.
the breast and hands on the lateral tail feathers black¬
ish ; legs red. Size of the greenshank. Inhabits Eu¬
rope, frequenting the banks of rivers, and feeding on
the smaller shell-fish and other vermes. Seldom visits
Britain.
Lesser god wit, jadreka snipe, or stone plover.—Bill Lvmsa.
inclining a little upwards at the point, red at the base ;
body gray brown, varied with rufous ; white beneath;
quill feathers white at the base, the four first without
spots; tail white at the base; irides whitish; cheeks
reddish ; back brown ; quill feathers blackish ; feathers
round the bill reddish white. Seventeen inches long,
and weighs nine ounces. Inhabits the north of Europe,
and is gregarious ; but seldom occurs in Britain. 551
Red godwit, or red-breasted godw it.—Bill a little re- Lappma
curved, yellowish ; legs black ; body reddish-rusty be¬
neath ; bill blackish at the tip; head, neck, breast and
body, ferruginous above, and, except the neck, streak¬
ed with black ; lower part of the back and rump rufous
white ; greater quill feathers black without, the base
white within ; secondary and tail leathers halt black and
half white. Weight about 12 ounces ; length 18 inches.
There is a variety with the head and neck cinereous,
and the chin and belly white. Inhabits Europe and
America, and is gregarious, but rarely seen with us. 552 ;
Common ov gray godwit*—\$\W straight, reddish yel- ^
low ; legs greenish ; head and neck reddish ; three of
the quill feathers black, with a white base ; a broad
white streak from the bill to the eye; body reddish-
brown above ; feathers with a dusky spot in the middle.
Subject to very considerable variety both in size and
plumage. In general, it weighs Irom seven to twelve
ounces, and measures from 15 to 16 inches. It inhabits
Europe, Asia, and Africa; continues with us the whole
year, and resorts to the fens in spring for breeding. In
the winter it is found on our shores, particularly at the
mouths of large rivers and inlets, where the mud and
sand become bare at low water, and where it feeds on
insects. It is much esteemed by epicures as a great de¬
licacy, and sells very high. It is caught in nets, to
which it is allured by a stale, or stuffed bird, in the
same manner, and at the same season, as the ruffs and
reeves. # _ ^ I
Goi/uuV.—Brown, edged with whitish; neck whitish,Leucopa
with small brown spots; chin and belly white; quill
feathers with black bands; bill a little turned up, brown,
with a purple base ; tail feathers white ; the two middle
ones wholly, the rest barred with brown on the outer
side. Sixteen inches long. Inhabits Europe. Regard¬
ed by some ornithologists as only a variety of the ergo-
cephala.
Cinereous *idwit.--\je%!>\ox\'g, cinereous; head, neck, Canesccni
and back varied with cinereous and white; chin and
breast white, spotted with ash; bill thicker than in the
greenshank; tail with cinereous lines. Size of the
greenshank. Inhabits Ricolnslure; but is very lare,
and seems to be imperfectly known. 555J
Cambridge godwit.—Legs orange ; bill red ; body Cantuln
brown ash above, white beneath ; wing-coverts and taile«Bi.
feathers barred with black ; lesser wing-coverts brown,
edged with white and barred with black ; quill feathers
blackish, white within; the secondary barred with
white. Larger than the redshank. Was shot near Cam¬
bridge, and first described by Pennant.
5 Gen. $$-