Identifier: birdlifeguidetos00chapman (find matches)
Title: Bird-life; a guide to the study of our common birds
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Chapman, Frank M. (Frank Michler), 1864-1945 Seton, Ernest Thompson, 1860-1946
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York : D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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aUinago ddicata. em Ncw England northward, thoughPlate IX. there are records of its breeding as far south as Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It migratesnortlnvard in March and April, and the return journeyoccurs during Septeml)er and October. It is not a trueshore bird, but frequents fresh-water marshes and mead-ows, and in rainy April weather, when the lowlands be-come more or less flooded, it may be found in places wherefew persons would think of looking for Snipe. Like the Woodcock, Wilsons Snipe probes the mudfor food, and when on the ground among the grasses itscolors and pattern of coloration so closely resemble itssurroundings that it is almost invisible. When flushed, it utters a startled scaij), and dartsquickly into the air, flying at first in so erratic a mannerthat it has become famous among sportsmen as a difli-cult mark. Like the Nighthawk, Wilsons Snipe sometimes divesearthward from high in the air, making as he falls asound which Minot compares to that produced by throw-
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^IkM StUi, Ib^feAyOii^ii WILSONS SNIPE. Length, 11.25 inches. Upper parts black, buff, and rusty ; throat and bellywhite, rest of under parts black and buff. 106 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. ing a nail held crosswise in the hand, though it is louder and more full. This performance is generally restricted to late evening and early morning during the spring, but is occasionally practiced in the fall. Most of our transient visitant Snipe are true shore birds. Many of them are classed as game birds, and have „ . , . , now become so uncommon that, as Semipalmated _ ... Sandpiper before remarked, it requires a specialEreunetespnsiiius. knowledge of tlicir wRys in order to^^^ ^ find them. But there are some species too small to be worthy the sportsmans attention, and theyare often numerous on our beaches. They are generallyknown as Peeps or Ox-eyes, but in books are termedSemipalmated Sandpipers — active little fellows, withblack, gray and rusty backs and white under parts, whorun along the s

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