122 



SCOLOPACID^. 



Gen. Scolopax.— Zm«. 



Characters same as those of the Family ; lower mandible channelled only to 

 the middle; wings long, ist quill longest ; tibia feathered to the knee. 



150. Scolopax rustiCOla, Linn., Syst. Nat. i. p. 243; Jerd., B. 

 hid. iii. p. 670 ; Blyth^ B. Burin, p. 157; Atiders., Sir. F. iii. p. 356; 

 Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 615, pi. ; Hume and Dav., Sir. F. vi. p. 458; Hume, 

 Str. F. viii. p. 1 12 ; Bingha?n, Sir. F. viii. p. 196 ; Hume and Marsh., Game 

 Birds iii. p. 311; Murray, Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 360, No. 128 1, pi. Scolopax 

 rusticula. Dav. et Oust. Ois. Chine ; Legge B. Ceylon, p. 806 ; Oates, B. 

 Br. Burm. p. 380 ; Murray, Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 238. — The Woodcock. 



The peculiar shape of the head of this esteemed bird is almost a sufficient 

 character to identify it among others. The head is more obtusely triangular 

 than round ; the eyes are placed above its middle, near the top, and the ears 

 are nearly on a level with the corner of the mouth. Crown of the head ashy, 

 or ashy grey ; the nape and back part of the head with four transverse alter- 

 nate bands of black and rusty red or chestnut brown ; a dark streak from the 

 gape to the eye ; the orbital feather pale buflf ; back, scapulars, wing coverts, 

 and upper tail coverts, marbled, spotted, barred, streaked and variegated with 

 black, white, grey, red, brown, rufous and yellow, that it is not possible to 

 describe them with accuracy ; chin pale yellowish brown, or nearly white ; 

 throat and breast pale brown, barred transversely with dark brown ; primaries 

 blackish, with triangular spots of pale reddish brown on both webs ; secon- 

 daries and tertiaries blackish, but with the markings more elongated and 

 reaching to the shaft. The whole under parts are yellowish white, numerously 

 barred with transverse dark undulating lines ; tail black, with spots and bars 

 on both webs, the tips ashy grey above and silvery white below ; tibia feathered 

 to the knee. The female is larger, and only differs from the male in this 

 respect and its duller tints. 



Length. — 14 to 16 inches ; wing 8 to 8*25 ; tail 3*25; bill at front 3 to 3"2 

 (upper mandible) ; tarsi v^ to i*8 ; irides dark brown ; legs livid fleshy, as also 

 is the bill with a tinge of grey. 



