242 SCOLOPACID^. 



Crown of the head with a mesial longitudinal black streak from the 

 top of the upper mandible ; on each side of this a yellowish or cream 

 coloured streak extending- above the eye as a snperciliary, and in some 

 specimens separated from the orbital region by a dark streak; a 

 dusky line from the gape to the eye, and another from below it curving 

 downwai'ds to the eai'-coverts ; tlae space between the two streaks white 

 or cream colour ; chin and throat white, greyish, or pale brown ; sides 

 of the head greyish, greyish white, or brownish white, spotted with 

 brown and pale red; neck behind and nape ferruginous or greyish brown, 

 streaked or spotted with dusky; breast pale yellowish brown or dusky, 

 spotted or dashed with darker brown ; abdomen white ; flanks dashed 

 with brown and pale ferruginous ; axillaries pure white, with faint, 

 almost obsolete dusky markings ; back and scapulars rich black, with 

 bronze green and purple reflections, the feathers of the upper back 

 and scapulars edged on their outer webs broadly with rich cream yellow, 

 forming two conspicuous longitudinal bands along each side; lower 

 back and rump glossy blue black, (specimens in August very narrowly 

 margined with albescent) ; primaries dusky, the basal half of the first 

 paler, not white ; inner primaries narrowly margined at the tip with 

 albescent; secondaries dusky, broadly tipped with white ; tertiaries 

 dusky on their inner webs, spotted and streaked with reddish or yellowish 

 brown on their outer webs; tail dusky or dark brown, edged near the tips 

 with pale ferruginous; under tail-coverts white; legs and feet pale green- 

 ish ; irides deep brown ; bill dark brown at the tip, 1'6 to I'S inches in 

 length at front, wing 4 to 4-6 inches, tail 1*8 to 2'2. 



Hal. — Every where in India, and more plentiful than the common 

 snipe, with which it is generally associated. In Sind small parties begin 

 to arrive about the 26th of August, or a few days earlier than the common 

 snipe. It is a difficult bird to flush, seldom rising until nearly trampled 

 upon. It prefers deep cover at all times, but I have often seen them 

 on the oozy, semi-fluid mud of back waters, where there was not even a 

 stubble for cover. 



Gen. 'RhjnchsQa.—Guv. 



Bill shorter than in Gallinago, curved downwards at the tip ; wings 

 rounded ; tarsi long ; tibia nearly entirely bare. 



Rliynclisea bengalensis, Lin.; P. E- 881; Jerd.B. Iwl. iii. p. 

 ■677; Str.F.W. 15; v. 223; vi. 459; Murray, ZooL, S,-c., Sind, p. 

 214. — The Painted Snipe, 



Crown of the head with a broad mesial longitudinal line, bordered 

 by dark brown, nearly black feathers, which form a line from the sides 

 of the upper mandible to the nape, where it is broader than in front ; 

 a yellowish buff circle round the eye, and a line behind it ; chin and 

 throat whitish, the feathers with some faint dusky spots; neck in front 

 and breast olive brown, the feathers with white spots and bars; the 

 feathers on the lower part of the sides and middle of the breast 

 nearly dark brown, forming a dark pectoi*al band, another similar band 

 below this with a white interspace, but not meeting on the breast ; 

 hind neck olivaceous, finely marked with dark transverse striae; mantle 



