LIMICOLiE. 



345 



350. SCOLOPAX STENURA. 

 (PINTAIL SNIPE.) 



Scolopax stenura, Bonaparte, Ann. Stor. Nat. Bologna, iv. fasc. xiv. p. 335 

 (1830). 



The Pintail Snipe is about the size of the Common Sni2)e (wing 

 from carpal joint 5-3 to 4-9 inches) . It has 26 tail-feathers^ of which 

 IG (8 on each side) are very narrow (not exceeding *! inch across). 



Rectrices of Scoloptix stenura. 



Figures : Radde, Reis. im Siid. von Ost-Sibir. ii. pi. 13 ; Hume and 

 Marshall, Game-Birds India &c. iii. p. 339; Seebohm, Charadriidae, 

 p. 477 (woodcut of tail). 



The sole claim of the Pintail Snipe to be regarded as a Japanese 

 bird rests on the examples obtained by the Perry Expedition; but as 

 Japan lies on the direct route between the arctic breeding-grounds and 

 the tropic winter-quarters of this species^ it is remarkable that its 

 presence in these Islands has not been more often detected (Cassin, 

 Exp. Am. Squad. China Seas and Japan, ii. p. 227). 



The Pintail Snipe breeds in East Siberia, and winters in the islands 

 of the Malay Archipelago. 



