Al4 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIREG. 
of authors (Macrorhampus griseus); it is known, I 
suppose, to every Snipe-shooter as the ‘ Big Snipe,’ 
the ‘ Brown Snipe,’ the ‘ Norway Snipe,’ &c.” The 
Brown Snipe here mentioned (M. griseus) may be 
put out of the question, as this “ Winter Snipe” of 
Mr. Knox (Scolopax russata, I believe, has been 
proposed as the Latin name should it eventually 
prove a distinct species) is a true Snipe possessing 
all the generic peculiarities of the Snipe, whereas 
M. griseus has been considered to differ so 
materially as to have a claim to separate generic 
distinctions, for which see Yarrell. 
I have been particular in mentioning this probable 
species, as, if it turns out to be really a true species, 
it certainly must be counted amongst our Somerset- 
shire birds, as the one from which the following 
description is taken, and which is now in my collec- 
tion, was shot near here on the i8th of November, 
1868. It certainly differs from both the Common 
or Great Snipe in many particulars, and appears to 
agree very nearly with the “ Winter Snipe” of Mr. 
Knox: it is considerably larger than the Common 
Snipe, and the light markings are of a much richer 
colour and there are more of them; the beak is 
about the same colour, but longer than that of the 
Common Snipe; the head has the two dark streaks, 
but the streak between them is a rich rusty; the 
back of the eye to the nape of the same colour, with 
afew dark spots on the feathers; the sides of the 
