BIRDS OF SEISTAN. 695 



(33. The Black-tailed Godwit. (1456) Limosa belgica. 

 On the 6th May 1905 Mr. E. A. McManus, of the Government of India 

 Telegraph Department, managed to secure for me a specimen of this bird 

 at Nasratabad out of a flock of some 20. It measured 18'25" in length. 

 64. The Wood on Spotted Sandpiper. (1461) Totanus glareola. 

 Numerous in Seistan during May. I shot a specimen (length 8*37") on 5th 

 May 1905 near Khwaja Ahmad, while Mr. E. A. McManus, of the Telegraph 

 Department, sent me two specimens from Nasratabad on the 7th idem. 

 65. TnE Redshank. (1464) Totanus calidris. 

 Obtainable in Seistan ; but I never obtained a single specimen. "It is very 

 wary and may be recognised by its loud call and by the white on its wings" 

 {Blanford). 



66. The Woodcock. (1482). Scolopax rusticula. 

 One or two birds only have been seen in Seistan by members of this Mission. 

 According to the late Sir Oliver St. John, " Rose gardens are the favourite 

 haunts of the Woodcock in Persia." 



67. The Common Snipe, Full or Fantail Snipe. 

 (1484) Gallinago ccelestis. 

 Numerous in Seistan from September to end of April, when they are to be 

 seen settling with G. stenura in large flocks in amongst the dense reeds of 

 the Naizars, where they are very difficult to get at. They afford very poor 

 sport in consequence. The largest bag obtained on the Mission was 18^ 

 •couples on Cth January 1905. 



68. The Pintail Snipe. (1485) Gallinago stenura. 

 The remarks under G. ccelestis apply to this species also, as they are always 

 found together during the winter. 



69. The Jack Snipe. (1487) Gallinago gallinula. 

 Said to be moderately numerous in Seistan. 



70. The Great Black-headed Gull. (1489) Larus ichthya'etus. 

 Fairly common in Seistau. A live bird was captured by some men of the 

 Irrigation Establishment on 2nd April 1904. 



71. The Slender-billed Gull. (1493) Lams gelastes. (Biluch, Kothar). 

 On 26th April 1905. I shot two females (length of both 17-0") near Kuhak, 

 out of a small flock which flew overhead. No fuss, beyond a low guttural 

 croak, was made by the others as these two fell out. Only one of them circled 

 round once and then flew off after the remainder. No cry of distress was 

 uttered by any one of them over their lost comrades. They had presumably 

 not yet begun to pair off. The description of both specimens tally with that 

 given by Blanford in Vol. IV of the "Fauna of British India," except as 

 regards the colour of the bill, legs and feet, which are not deep red. In the 

 case of (I) the bill is a pale livid and the legs and feet a pale orange, and 

 in the case of (2) the bill is a very dark livid and the legs and feet orange. 

 These specimens, however, are females, which may account for the slight dif- 

 ference here noticed. 



