GREAT SNIPE. 



SCOLOPACID^.] 



GALLINAGO MAJOR (J. F. Gmelin). 



Explanation of Plate. 



Figure l."| 



2 >Boel, Jutland, 1866; A. Benzon coll. In collection of H. E. Dresser, Esq. 



i> 3. Ditto. June 1884. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



^ f Ditto. 1866 ; A. Benzon coll. In collection of H. E. Dresser, Esq. 



„ 6. Ditto. 1863. In collection of E. Bid well, Esq. 



„ 7. Ringkjobing, Jutland, June 9, 1888. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



„ 8. Boel, Jutland, June 25, 1877. 



„ 9. Russia, May 20, 1881. 



>Boel, Jutland, June 1867. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 

 „ 12. East Gottland, June 25, 1890. Ditto. 



This species is a regular autumn visitor in small numbers to England. Very 

 few occiu-rences in Scotland or Ireland are recorded. 



Me. Howard Saunders describes the geographical distribution of the Great Snipe 

 as follows * : — " In summer this species is found in the lowlands and also on the 

 fells of Scandinavia up to about 70° N. lat., and breeds in Denmark — rather 

 freely in Jutland, some parts of Northern Germany, and, sparingly, in Holland. 

 In the marshy districts of Poland to the east of the Vistula, as well as in Russia 

 down to about lat. 50°, it 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 knowu in the west 

 of France, and uncommon in Spain ; but to the east of the Phone 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 



* 'Manual of British Birds,' pp. 555, 556. 



