236 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Length 14; wing 7°75; tail 3°25; tarsus 1:5; bill from 
gape 3°00. 
Distribution —An occasional migrant to the higher hills. 
Breeds in the Himalayas above 10,000 feet, visiting in the winter 
the lower valleys and the South Indian and Burmese hills. 
Habits ——May be found occasionally in the hills from 
November to February. The birds generally keep to damp 
forest near water, where the ground is soft. 
GALLINAGO NEMORICOLA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 285 ; 
Legge, p. 814). 
The Wood Snipe. 
Description.—Upper plumage black, the wing coverts 
spotted and barred with tawny buff, and the scapulars with 
broad tawny edges ; head and neck brownish-black ; a light 
stripe down the centre of the head imperfectly developed ; a 
dark band from, the gape of the bill to the eye, and another 
across the cheek. The sides of the head and the neck all 
round are dull buff streaked with black ; lower back and 
rump marked with narrow bars of whitish or brownish buff 
brightening to rufous on the upper tail coverts. The six 
central feathers of the tail are black ; their ends are rufous with 
a slight black crossbar and pale tips. The outer tail feathers 
are barred with dull rufous and brown, and are pale-tipped. 
The primary coverts, primaries, and secondaries are dark brown. 
Breast and abdomen grayish-white barred with dull brown ; 
wing lining and axillaries grayish-brown barred with white. 
Bill reddish-brown, pale at the base underneath ; iris dusky 
brown ; legs plumbeous green. 
Length 12; wing 5-5; tail 2-2; tarsus 1°5; bill from gape 2-5. 
Distribution.—Its occurrence in Ceylon is a little doubtful, 
no Ceylon specimens are on record, but Neville states that it 
has been found near Nuwara Eliya. It ranges through the 
Himalayas, where it breeds at considerable elevations ; in 
winter it descends lower, and occasionally visits the hills of 
Southern India and Burma. 
Habits—Should be looked for in damp spots on the 
outskirts of forest in the higher hills. 
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