670 BIRDS OP INDIA. 



greater part of its length, slightly bent downwards at the tip ; 

 lower mandible channeled only to the middle ; nostrils basal, 

 longitudinal; wings moderately long, very pointed, 1st quill long- 

 est ; tail short, of twelve soft uniform feathers ; tibia plumed to 

 the joint ; toes free to the base ; tarsus short, stout ; hind toe short. 

 This genus, now restricted to the true Wood-cocks, differs from 

 the Snipe chiefly by the tibia being feathered to the knee. It 

 comprises birds of larger size and stouter make than the Snipes, 

 and perfectly sylvan in their habits, as the English name implies. 

 The humerus is stated to be without air-cells. 



867. Scolopax rusticola, Linn^us. 



Jerdon, Cat. 335 — Blyth, Cat. 1 605— S. indicus, Hodgson. 

 — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 319 — Sim-tifar, or Tutatar, H. 

 of some. — Sim-Kiikra in Kumaon, 



The Wood-cock. 



Descr. — Forehead and crown ash-grey, tinged rufous ; a dusky 

 streak from gape to eyes ; occiput, with four broad transverse 

 bars of blackish brown ; the rest of the upper part variegated 

 with chesnut brown, ochre yellow and ash-grey, with zigzag lines 

 and irregular spots of black ; throat white ; rest of under parts 

 yellowish white, passing into rufous on the breast and forepart 

 of neck with cross wavy bars of dusky brown ; quills barred 

 ferruginous and black ; tail black, the outer webs edged rufous, 

 tips ash-grey above, silvery white beneath ; bill fleshy-grey ; 

 legs livid ; irides dark brown. 



Length 14 to nearly 16 inches ; wing 8 to 8;^ ; tail 3^. Bill 

 (front) 3 to 3y^^ ; tarsus 1^ to ly^^ ; extent of wing 24 to 26 inches; 

 mid-toe 1|. Average weight 9 to 10 ounces, varies from 7 to 14 

 ounces and more. The female is larger, with the colours more 

 dull. The wings reach to about 1;^ inches from the end of the tail. 



The Wood-cock is a winter visitant to the more elevated wooded 

 regions of India, the Himalayas, the Neilgherries, the Pulneys, 

 Shervaroys, Coorg, and doubtless all the higher ranges of Southern 

 India. During its periodical migrations north and south, indivi- 

 duals are occasionally killed in various parts of the country. 



