60 



CHARADEIID^. 



Genus GALLINAGO, Leach. 

 Gallinago major (Gm.). 



fescolopax major, Thien. Fortjjflmiz. yes. Tog. tab. Ix. lig'. <*), a-d (1845-54) ; 

 lieu-itson, Egys of Brit. Birds, ii. p. •j^\, pl.xcvii. (1856) ; Seebohm, 

 Brit. Birds, iii. p. 237, pi. 28 (1885) ; id. Geuyr. Distr. Charudriides^ 

 p. 482 (1887); id. Ems of Brit. Birds, p. 152, pi. 41. figs. 1, 3 

 (1896). 



Telmatias.niajor, Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 53. fig. 2 (1855-63). 



Gallioago major. Dresser, Birds Eur. vii. p. 631 (1876) ; Toyntivg, Eggs 

 of Brit. Birds, p. 109. pi. 24 (1895-C.) : Shmye, Cut. Birds B. M, 

 xxiv. p. 626 (1896; ; id. Hand-l. i. p. 165 (1899). 



Many of the eggs of the Great Snipe are pyriform, but others are 

 of quite an ordinary oval form. They have a fair amount of gloss. 

 The ground-colour is pale greyish buff, frequently with a faint tinge 

 of green. The markings are very bold, and are chiefly confined to 

 the broader half of the egg. They consist of spots and large 

 blotches, usually confluent, of rich umber-brown, pale brown, and 

 underlying pale purjilish grey. In some specimens a few entangled 

 lines may be seen on the broad end. The specimens in the Collec- 

 tion measure from 1-7 to 1-9 in length, and from 1-22 to 1-3 in 

 breadth. 



4. Bodii, Norway, 2Dd July (P. God- Salvin-Godman Coll. 



man). 



4. Dorpat, Baltic Provs. (Russoiv). Seebohm Coll. 



4. Boil, Jutland (Beyizon). Seebohm Coll. 



4. Boil, 10th May (Benzon). Seebohm Coll. 



Gallinago nigripennis, Bjk 



(Plate II. fig. 3.) 



Gallinago sequatorialis, Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 302. 



Gallinago nigripennis, iharpe, ed. Layard, Birds S. Africa, p. 676 



(1875-84) ; id. Cat. Biids B. M. xxiv. p. 631 (1896) ; id. Hand-l. i. 



p. 165 (1899). 

 Scolopax sequatorialis, Seeloh7)i, Gevgr. Distr. Charadriidce, p. £00 



(1887). 



The eggs of the Ethiopian Snipe in the Collection resemble many 

 of the eggs of the Common Snipe ; they have a considerable amount 

 of gloss. They are pale greenish- or olive-bufF, rather sparingly 

 spotted and blotched with dark blackish brown, pale brown, and 

 underlying grey. The markings aie larger and more frequent at the 

 broad end, where, in one specimen, they are more or less confluent. 

 Three examples measure respectively : 1"62 by 1*1£ ; 1'65 by 1'15 ; 

 1-65 by 1-14. 



1. South Africa. E. L. Layard, Esq. [P.]. 



2. Potchefstroom, Transvaal ( r. yi?/?w). Seebohm' Coll. 



