132 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



In the regions we write of the three species common to the 

 greater part of China occur, namely, Winter Snipe, Pin-tailed 

 and Swinhoe's Snipe. 



The Winter or Common Snipe {Gallinago gallinago) begin to 

 arrive early in October, and some at any rate remain through- 

 out the winter, migrating northward early in April. It is 

 essentially a marsh and mud-loving bird, and is generally to be 

 found in wet rice-fields, more especially those recently ploughed 

 up; in muddy ponds amongst the Lotus {Nelumbium speciosum) ; 

 in wet grass-clad marshes, sides of ditches, etc. When in good 

 condition it weighs 4 to 4I ounces, but when it first arrives it 

 is usually very thin and weighs no more than 3 ounces. Com- 

 pared with the two following species the Winter Snipe is rather 

 lighter coloured, more slightly built bird with rather longer 

 legs and bill ; tail composed of 14 normal feathers aU of the 

 same size. 



The "Pin-tailed" or "Lesser Spring Snipe" {Gallinago 

 stenura) arrives from the north earlier and passes northwards 

 again later than does the Winter Snipe, and it does not winter 

 in the Yangtsze Valley. Around Ichang the Pin-tailed begins 

 to arrive from the north about 20th August, and by the ist of 

 October has passed southwards. In spring it begins to arrive 

 from the south about ist April, and by 20th May has passed 

 northwards. How this bird (and the same remarks apply to 

 Swinhoe's Snipe) gets through the whole business of breeding 

 and maturing the plumage on the young in so short a time 

 (three^months at most) is a mystery. I have never shot (nor 

 heard of others shooting) a Pin-tailed in immature plumage or 

 one which was obviously a young bird. That the birds should 

 be hatched and reach adult size and plumage in such a brief 

 period of time is one of the many wonders associated with 

 migratory bird-life. Every one has of course shot birds vary- 

 ing considerably in weight, but this is merely a condition due 

 to abundance or scarcity of food. When the birds arrive first 

 from the north they are usually in poor condition. 



The Lesser Spring Snipe frequents much drier ground 

 than does the Winter Snipe. In spring it is partial to fields 

 of wheat, pulse, and poppy, and grassy places either dry or 

 rather wet. In autumn the favourite haunt is the fields of 



