CEYLON RAILS, WADERS, GULLS, AND TERNS. 237 
GALLINAGO C@LESTIS (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 286). 
GALLINAGO SCOLOPACINA (Legge, p. 821). 
The Common or Fantail Snipe. 
Description.—This species in plumage closely resembles the 
next, G. stenura, but may be distinguished as follows :—The 
tail has no pin feathers ; on the axillaries the white bars are 
broader than the brown; the bill of the present species 
broadens slightly towards the tip, that of the Pin-tailed Snipe 
does not ; the outer web of the first primary is whitish instead 
of brown ; the secondary quills have fairly conspicuous white 
tips. 3 
Length 10°5; wing 5:00; tail 2°25; tarsus 1:25; bill 
from gape 2°6. 
Distribution —A very rare migrant during the north-east 
monsoon. It is said to have been seen at Nuwara Eliya, and 
two specimens were obtained at Tamblegam, near Trincomalee. 
In Northern India it is the predominant Snipe, but in Southern 
India and Burma it is rare, being largely replaced by the 
Pintail Snipe. It breeds in Europe and Central and Northern 
Asia, wintering in Southern Europe, North Africa, and 
Southern Asia. 
Habits —Similar to those of the next species. 
GALLINAGO STENURA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 289; 
Legge, p. 816). 
The Pintail Snipe. 
Description —General colour of upper plumage black ; the 
top of the head with a broad pale band down the centre, and 
another on each, side just over the eye; a dark brown band 
from, the bill to the eye ; the sides of the head streaky whitish 
and brown. The broad tawny edges of the scapulars form 
two long bands down the back. The primary coverts, 
primaries, and secondaries are black-brown, the later primaries 
and the secondaries faintly tipped with white ; tertiaries 
barred black and tawny ; rump and upper tail coverts barred 
with rufous or dark buff; the ends of the tail feathers are 
