Mr. H. Seebohm on the Genus Scolopai. 129 



web. The Asiatic species is distinguishable at a glauce by 

 the broad buff dorsal stripes, which are almost obsolete in its 

 South-Americau allies, as well as by its smaller size (wing 

 under 5| inches instead of over 6 inches). 



7. SCOLOPAX SOLITARIA. 



The Himalayan Solitary Snipe breeds at an elevation of 

 from 10,000 to 15,000 feet, from Turkestan north-east as 

 far as the Altai range, and south-east in the Himalayas as 

 far as Assam, descending in autumn to winter in the lower 

 valleys. Its nearest ally is scarcely more than subspecifically 

 distinct from it, and probably interbreeds with it somewhere 

 in South-east Siberia ; but it has also a very close ally in 

 S. strichlandi, which inhabits the forests of Patagonia. 

 These three Semi-Woodcocks differ from the other three of 

 which mention has been made in having traces of pale bars 

 on the outer web of the first primary, and on both webs of 

 soine of the inner primaries and secondaries. They are 

 further distinguished by the almost entire absence of bars 

 on the centre of the belly. The Himalayau Solitary Snipe 

 may be distinguished by its pure white lower breast. 



8. ScOLOPAX SOLITAKIA JAPOXICA. 



The Japanese Solitary Snipe breeds in Northern Japan, 

 and probably in South-eastern Siberia as far east as Lake 

 Baikal. It winters in China, though a few remain all the 

 year round in Yezo. It has hitherto been generally con- 

 founded with the preceding species, the synonymy of the 

 two forms being still more confused. The Scolopax hiemalis 

 of Eversmann (Bull. Soc. Mosc. 1845, p. 257, pi. vi.), from 

 the Altai Mountains, is unquestionably the Himalayan bird. 

 The Ga/Zi/^G^o 7a/?oHica of Bonaparte (Compt. Rend. 1856, 

 p. 7 15) is apparently a nomen nudum without description of any 

 kind, and may belong to any of the half-dozen Snipes of Japan. 

 It tlierefore must be allowed to drop altogether out of the 

 synonymy, leaving the coast perfectly clear for the adoption 

 of Swinhoe^s GaUinago japonica (Ibis, 1873, p. 364), of 

 which the type is now in my collection. The differences be- 



