Snipe by Edouard Travies - Framed Royle Print - 20"H x 16"W

Snipe by Edouard Travies - Framed Royle Print - 20"H x 16"W

Édouard Traviès was a French lithographer and illustrator. He regularly exhibited works at the Salon in Paris between 1831 and 1866.

A snipe is any of about 25 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill and crypsis plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the Coenocorypha snipes are found only in the Outlying Islands of New Zealand.

Interesting Fact:

The difficulties involved in hunting snipe gave rise to the term “sniper”, referring to a skilled anti-personnel military sharpshooter.

"Going on a snipe hunt" is a phrase suggesting a fool's errand, or an impossible task. It is often used as a practical joke upon campers, and those unfamiliar with hunting, by those more experienced.