556 GREAT SNIPE. 



nests in considerable numbers, and Messrs. Seebohm and Harvie- 

 Brown found it in abundance as far north as the delta of the 

 Petchora. Over the rest of Europe it occurs on passage, though 

 scarcely known in the west of France, and uncommon in Spain ; 

 but to the east of the Rhone valley we begin to find it equally 

 frequent in spring and autumn, while it is distinctly more numerous 

 on the vernal migration in Italy, Malta and Albania. It occurs 

 in North Africa from Morocco to Egypt, and passes southward 

 to the Transvaal and Natal, arriving in September and October 

 and departing for the north in April, in which month it has also 

 been obtained in Damara-land on the west side. In Asia it has 

 been found across Siberia as far as the Yenesei, and southward 

 to the Tianshan range, Turkestan, Persia &c., but has not yet been 

 recorded from India or China. 



The nest is a mere hollow in some hillock above the level of the 

 marsh ; the eggs, 4 in number, are of a greyish-buff with pale 

 purplish underlying blotches and bold characteristic purplish-brown 

 surface-markings: average measurements i"S by i'25 in. Incuba- 

 tion begins at the end of May or early in June, lasting eighteen days ; 

 and the young, which run as soon as hatched, are ready to fly by 

 the middle of August. The food consists of the larvae of insects — 

 especially of the genus Tipula — small slugs and worms, with, accord- 

 ing to Prof CoUett, a few small stones. In autumn, when the bird 

 is often a perfect ball of fat, it weighs from 7 to loozs. Many 

 examples have been shot from grass-fields, heather, potato-patches 

 in a sandy soil, barley-layers, turnips, and similar situations, drier 

 than those frequented by Common Snipe ; and though often found 

 in couples it is seldom, if ever, in ' whisps ' ; its fiight is steadier and 

 heavier than that of its congeners, and the tail is expanded like a 

 fan. 



The adult may be distinguished from the Common Snipe by its 

 larger size, proportionately shorter legs and bill, more boldly barred 

 under parts, and especially by the very much greater amount of 

 white vi\\}(\t tail-feathci-s,\i\-\\c\\ are normally 16 (exceptionally 18 

 during the moult) and not 14 in number. In the young bird the 

 tail-feathers are barred across both webs, but their ground-colour 

 is of a pure white or buff, and not mottled as in the Common 

 Snipe ; the markings on the breast and flanks are more arrow- 

 headed in shape than those of the adult. Length 10 '5 in. ; wing 

 5 '5 in. I'he sexes are alike in plumage. 



