Sabinds Snipe. 17 



Paris {vide supra, p. 14), was a light-coloured individual, 

 while others have been recorded as ver^^ dark examples. 



Numerous other varieties of the Common Snipe have been 

 from time to time obtained and recorded, and I believe some 

 remarkable varieties are in the collection of Mr. John Mar- 

 shall, of Taunton. Mr. Whitaker, of Rainworth, Mansfield, 

 Notts, has kindly informed me that he has in his collection 

 nine Snipe, running from Sabine's Snipe to examples with 

 the body white and the wings brown, and with the body brown 

 and wings white, as well as examples which are pale cream, 

 pale brown, dark brown, and brown with white wings and 

 cream back. 



It is possible that all the examples of Sabine's Snipe may 

 be birds of the year, which supposition would account for the 

 ovate shape of the dorsal feathers — a point formerly insisted 

 on as showing its distinction from the Common Snipe. Pro- 

 fessor Newton informs me that he has never seen an example 

 of Sabine's Snipe which had the appearance of a really adult 

 bird. 



The above remarks are a mere summary of the notes I have 

 been so far able to collect on this interesting bird. They are 

 not intended to give a complete account of it, but I think 

 they have touchedupon some of the mere interesting features in 

 its history. The number of examples killed is only approxi- 

 mate, as it is impossible to trace the authenticity of every 

 reported example. The addition, or subtraction, of one or 

 two examples from the list would, however, in no way disturb 

 the conclusions to be drawn from them. 



