350 



SCOLOPACID^. 



described (P.Z.S. 1877, p. 533) an example intermediate in 

 plumage. If it were a good species, it is remarkable tbat, in 

 spite of its almost complete restriction to the British Islands, 

 it should never have been found breeding. 



The following is the description of ' Sabine's Snipe,' and 

 the engraving of the bird is given as a vignette. 



The beak is as in the normal bird ; upper part of the 

 head, the back of the neck, back, scapulars, wing-coverts and 

 tertials, dusky-brown, each feather varied by narrow trans- 

 verse bands of pale yellow-brown which are less numerous 

 on the back than over the wings ; primary quill- feathers dull 

 black, with black shafts ; upper tail-coverts greyish-brown ; 

 tail-feathers with the basal half black, the terminal half 

 chestnut-brown, spotted and barred with black : the two 

 centre feathers have rather more, and the outer feathers 

 rather less of black than the others ; chin, neck, breast, and 

 all the under parts of the body a mixture of dull brown 

 and pale yellow-brown in alternate narrow bars over the 

 whole surface ; legs and toes very dark chestnut-brown. 



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