180 



PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 



Genus SCOLOPAX, Linn^us. 



Scolopax, Linn. S. N. cd. lo, 175S, 145 ; ed. 12, 1766, 242 (type, S. rustieola, Linn.). 

 Rusticola, MoEHR, Av. (ien. 1752, 77 (same type). 



Char. Body very robust ; tarsus less than half as long as the bill, and scarcely longer than 

 the middle toe ; tibiaj completely feathered ; primaries normal, the outermost longest, and Inroad, 

 like the rest. 



The above diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish this genus, which embraces the European Wood- 

 cock (S. rusticida) and two allied Old World species or races,i from the genus Philohela, of which 

 the American Woodcock (P. minor) is the sole representative. 



Scolopax rnsticula. 



THE EUROPEAN WOODCOCK. 



Scolopax rusticola, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 146; ed. 12, 1766, 243. — Naum. Vog. Deutschl. 



VIII. 1836, 361, pi. 211. —Keys. & Blas. Wirb. Eur. 1840, 78. — Schleg. Rev. crit. 1844, 



85. — Gray, Gen. B. III. 1849, 584. — Baird, Ain. Jour. Arts & Sci. XLI. 1866, 25 (New- 



foinidland). 

 Scolopax rnsticula, \VuAnr. Ibis, 1879, 454. — Ridgw. Nom. N.Am. B. 1881, no. 524. — CouES, 



Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 606. 

 Scolopax major. Leach, Syst. Cat. 1816, 31. 



Scolopax pinetorum, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 613, pi. 32, f. 2. 

 Scolopax si/lvestris, Brehm, t. c. 614. 

 Ricsticola sylvestris, Macgill. Man. II. 1840, 105. 

 Rv^ticola vulgaris, Vieill. N. D. II L 1816, 348. 

 Woodcock, Yaru. Brit. B. ed. 2, III. 1845, 1, fig. ed. 3, III. 1, fig. et Auct. 



Hab. Palsearctic Region ; occasional in Eastern North America (several records : Loudoun Co., 

 Virginia, CouES, Forest <& Stream,, April 27, 1876, p. 180 ; New Jersey, CouES ; Newfoundland, 

 Baird, Am. Jour. Sci. & Arts, XLI. 1866, 25). 



\ 



life 





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^ Wffl" 



Sp. Char. Adult : Above rusty brown, everywhere variegated by lighter transverse spots and 

 dusky lines; the middle of the back (longitudinally) and the scapulars marked with irregular 

 large black spots or blotches ; scajjulars much mixed with light grayish posteriorly, and sides of 

 the interscapular region almost continuously light grayish, forming a pair of well-defined V-shaped 



1 S. saturata, Horsfield, of Java, and .S'. Ror.husscni, Schlegel, of Africa (Greater Obi). 



