SCOLOPACIDiE — THE SNIPE FAMILY. 37 



Gallinago delicata (Ord). 



WILSON'S SNIPE. 



Popular synonyms. Englisn Snipe; American Snipe; Gutter Snipe. 



Scolopax gallinago Wilson. Am. Orn. vi, 1812. 18, pi. 47, f, 1 (nee Linn.). 

 Scolopax wilsoni Temm. PL Col. v, 1824, livr. lxviii (in text).— S\v. & Rich. P. B.-A. ii, 

 1831, 401.— Nutt. Man. ii, 1834, 185.— AuD. Orn. Biog. iii, 1835,322; v, 1839,583, pi. 243; 

 Synop. 1839, 248; B. Am. v, 1842. 339. pi. 350. 

 Gallinago wilsoni Bonap. 1838.— Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 710— Baikd, Cat. N. 

 Am. B. 1859. No. 523.— Coues, Key, 1872, 2G2; Check List, 1874, No. 414; 2d ed. 1882, 

 No. 608; Birds N. W. 1874. 475.-B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. i, 18X4, 188. 

 (•'nllinago media wilsoni Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 526. 

 Scolopax drummondi Sw. & Rich. P. B.-A. ii. 1831, 400— Nutt. Man. ii, 1834, 190.— Aud. 



Orn. Bios:, v, 1839, 319; Synop. 1839,240; N. Am. vi, 1843, 9. 

 Scolopax douglasii Sw. & Rich. F. B.-A, ii, 1831, 400.— Nutt. Man. ii, 1834, 491. 

 Scolopax leucurus Sw. & Rich. 1. c. 501.— Nutt. 1. c, 617. 

 Scolopax delicata Okd, Wils. Orn. ix, 1825. cexviii. 



Gallinago delicata Ridgw. in A. O. U. Check List. 1886, No. 230; Man. N. Am. 

 B. 1887, 150. 



Hab. The whole of North and Middle America, breeding from northern United States 

 northward, migrating south in winter as far as Colombia and throughout the West Indies; 

 Bermuda; accidental in England. 



Sp. Chae. Bill long, compressed, flattened and slightly expanded toward the tip, punc- 

 tulated in its terminal half; wings rather long; legs moderate; tail short. Entire upper 

 parts brownish black, every feather spotted and widely edged with light rufous, yellowish 

 brown, or ashy white; back and rump transversely barred and spotted with the same; a 

 brownish white or pale buffy line from the base of the bill over the top of the head. Throat 

 and neck before, dull reddish ashy; wing-feathers marked with dull brownish black; other 

 under parts white, with transverse bars of brownish black on the sides, axillary feathers, 

 under wing-coverts, and under tail-coverts; quills brownish black; outer edge of first pri- 

 mary white; tail glossy, brownish black, widely tipped with bright rufous, paler at the tip, 

 and with a subterminal narrow band of black. Bill brown (greenish gray in life), paler at 

 base and darker toward the end; legs dark brown (light greenish gray In life). 



Total length, about 10.50 to 11.50 inches; extent, 16.50 to 17.00; wing, 5.00 to 5.60; tail. 2.60; 

 bill, 2.50 to 2.70; tarsus, 1.25. 



In a very large series of specimens from all parts of the con- 

 tinent north of Panama, no variations are noticeable other than 

 what appear to be of a purely individual character, and these 

 are seldom very pronounced. 



This well-known bird is abundant, a1 the proper seasons, 

 throughoui the State. In Cook county, according to Mr. Nel- 

 son, it is "abundant during the migration and not n very rare 

 summer resident. Arrives the tirsl of April and nearly .-ill are 

 gone by the first of May. Returns in fall thefirsl of September 

 and departs by the first <>f November. Mr. T. II. Douglas bas 

 obtained its eggs Dear Waukegan, and while there in the spring 

 of L876, I found several pairs during the breeding season, in 

 various portions of the marsh near that place. 



