142 Mr. H. SeeLoliin un tht Genus Scolopax. 



were probably isolated, during a severe Glacial period^ in at 

 least three separate colonies — in West Africa, the valley of the 

 Nile, and the plains of India. As there is reason to believe 

 was the case with the Willow-Wren and its close allies the two 

 ChiffchafFs, the central colony appears to have been the most 

 altered — Snipes with pure white axillaries being most com- 

 mon in Eastern Russia and Turkestan. The Willow- Wrens 

 seem, however, to have been a more plastic race than the 

 Snipes, and their differentiation appears to have been com- 

 plete ; although the present range of the Willow- Wren over- 

 laps that both of the Eastern and Western ChifFchaff, the 

 result is that, if cross-breeding takes place at all, it only pro- 

 duces a barren hybrid, and the species remain distinct. We 

 may fairly assume that, in the case of the Snipes, dififerentia- 

 tion was not carried far enough, and that consequently the 

 Palsearctic Region is peopled with a race of mongrels. 



The North-American Snipe is a summer visitor to the 

 whole of the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific up to 

 the Arctic Circle and down to the latitude of New York. It 

 winters in Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and 

 the extreme northern portion of South America. A few 

 breed as far south as Maryland, and a few pass the winter as 

 far north as Texas. 



27. Scolopax major. 



The geographical distribution of the Great Snipe is speci- 

 ally interesting as affording one of many other examples of 

 migratory birds which have extended their breeding-range to a 

 considerable distance, but, in consequence of their having con- 

 tinued to follow their ancient ''fly-lines,^' have caused the line 

 of migration to and from their more recently annexed breeding- 

 grounds to be remarkably circuitous. The range of the Great 

 Snipe extends in summer from Scandinavia to the valley of the 

 Yenesay, but in winter is confined to the basin of the Medi- 

 terranean and the continent of Africa. The Great Snipe is 

 not even known to pass through Turkestan on migration, but 

 apparently crosses valley after valley in Asia until it turns 

 southwards in the company of the European members of the 

 species. It breeds in suitable localities throughout the basin 



