SNIPE. Feolapax, a genus of birds of the family seolopacidte (q.v.), having a very long straight bill. with nasal grooves extending almost to the tip, which expands a little, the upper mandible slightly exceeding the lower in length, the whole bill soft and very sensitive, smooth and shining in the living bird, but soon after death becoming pitted like the end of a thimble by drying. The head is compressed; the eyes large, and rlaced far back in the head, an evident adaptation to the mode of life, enabling the bird to guard against danger, while its bill is plunged in the mud. The feet have three toes before, divided to the base or very nearly so, not edged by membrane, the hind-toe short. Time tail is short. The genus naturally divides itself into two sections, sometimes regarded as distinct genera, the first consisting of the woodcocks (q.v.), to which the generic name seolopax is appropriated; the second containing the species popularly known AS snipes, which receive the generic name gallinago, and are distinguished by their lighter form. by their longer legs, and by having a little of the lower part of the tibia bare.—The COMMON SNIPE (S. gallinago, or gallinayo media)is about 11 in. in entire length, the bill almost 3 inelc.s. The sexes are alike in plumage. but the female is rather larger than the male. The general color of the upper parts is blackish brown, finely mixed with pale brown and with a rich buff color; three pale brown streaks along the head; the neck and breast pale rust color mottled with black; the belly white. The tail consists of 14 feathers. The snipe, when flushed. changes its course several times in a zigzag mariner in the air, and then darts off very swiftly, so that young sportsmen find it a very difficult bird to shoot. The snipe makes a very inartificial nest of a little dry, heritage, in a depression of the ground, or sometimes in a tuft of grass or rushes. The eggs are four in nunibbr, pale yellowish or greenish white, the larger end spotted with i brown. This species of some is plentiful in all the moors and marshy parts of Britain, and generally throughout Europe, also in some parts of Asia, and it is found in the n.
of Africa. It breeds in Britain, even in the s. of England, although many of the snipes which spend the winter in Britain migrate northward in spring. The snipe is capable of being tamed, and becomes very familiar, but is difficult to keep from the prodigious quantity of worms and other such food which it requites. A tame snipe has been known to cat nearly twice its own weight of worms in 12 hours. The snipe is in high esteem for the table, and is included among game in Britain.—The habits of all the other spe cies of snipe correspond very nearly with those of the common snipe. The GREAT SNIPE, or Eiouranv SNIPE (S. or G. major), is comparatively a rare bird in Britain, but abounds in the extensive,marshes of continental Europe; and is found also in Asia. Its entire length is about 12i in., the bill not quite so long in proportion as that of the com mon snipe. There are 16 feathers'in the tail.—The JACK SNIPE, or JUDCOCK (S. or G. gallinula), the smallest of the British species, is like, the common snipe in plumage. It is common in Britain, but mostly as a winter visitant, and is found also during summer or winter, in most parts of Europe and of the n. of Asia.—North America has a number of species. The COMMON AMERICAN SNIPE (S. or G. wilsoni) is about equal in size to the common 'snipe of Europe, and much resembles it also in plumage. The tail has 16 fpathers. This species is abundant in summer in the northern parts of the United States and in Canada, iu the more southern states in winter. It is in much request for the table, and is often caught in suares.—Snipes are found also in other parts of the world. The name snipe is extended in popular usage to includy the genus macrorhamphus, in which the outer toes are connected at the base by a membrane. In other characters, as well as in plumage and habits, the similarity to the true snipes is very great. The RED BREASTED SNIPE, or BROWN SWIPE (M. griseus), of North America has been occasionally seen•in Britain and in Scandinavia. In size it is nearly equal to the common snipe.