274 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



the lateral feathers alternately barred with dark and lighter 

 brown, and tipped with white ; irides dark brown ; basal half 

 of the bill yellowish olive, the remainder dark brown ; legs 

 yellowish tinged with olive. 



Genus RHYNCH^A, Cuvier. 



The few species comprised in this genus are widely dispersed 

 over the face of the globe j one inhabits the southernmost 

 parts of America, another South Africa, a third India, and a 

 fourth Australia. They aifect different situations from those 

 resorted to by the true Snipes, usually selecting drier ground 

 and knolls under low bushes contiguous to marshy lands, 

 where they can readily procure their natural food. 



Sp. 534. RHYNCH^A AUSTRALIS, Gould. 



Australian Rhtnch^a. 

 RhynchdBa australis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part v. p. 155. 



Rhynchaea australis, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. vi. pi. 41. 



The Australian Rhynchaea is a summer visitant to New 

 South Wales, where it arrives in August and September ; but 

 whether its visits are regular, or only occur in such wet 

 periods as fill the lagoons and cause a redundance of rushes 

 and other herbage to spring forth, I know not ; in all pro- 

 bability they are influenced by the character of the season, as 

 none but humid situations appear to suit its habits. During 

 the fine season of 1839, when much rain had fallen and the 

 whole face of the country was covered with the most luxuriant 

 and varied verdure, and every hollow formed a shallow lagoon, 

 this bird was tolerably plentiful in the district of the Upper 

 Hunter, particularly in the flats of Segenho, Aberdeen, 

 Scone, &c. Although I did not succeed in finding its nest, 

 no doubt exists in ray mind of its breeding in the immediate 

 locality, as on dissecting a female an egg was found in the 



