88 GAME-BIEDS OF INDIA 



Measurements. — Hume g'wes the dimensions of the female as 



"Length 101 to 11'17 inches, expanse 161 to 18"25, wing 50 

 to 5-58, tail from vent 2'0 to '2-67, tarsus 12 to 1-35, bill from 

 gape 2-38 to 2-62, bill at front 245 to 2-7, weight 3-75 to 51 ozs., 

 average 4'2 ozs. 



The average measurements of those I have measured have been 

 males, wing 5'11 inches (= 129'7 mm.), bill 2'35 (= 59'7 mm.); females, 

 wing 5-25 ( = 138-8 mm.), bill 241 ( = 617 mm.) Sharpe gives the 

 measurements as 7nale, wing 4"9 ( = 124'4 mm.), bill 2'3 ( = 58'4 

 mm.) ; female, wing 5"1 ( = 109'5 mm.), bill 2^45 ( = 62'2 mm.). 



The Pintail Snipe is extremely variable in its plumage, and I 

 quote Hume's remarks, anent this variation, in full. He says : — 



" I have specimens now before me with the entire lower breast, 

 abdomen and vent pure white and unmarked. I have others with 

 the whole of these parts liarred, almost as strongly and as regularly 

 as in nemoricola. There are some in which the front of the throat 

 and upper breast are fawn-coloured, blurred with numerous ill-defined 

 spots and streaks of dark brown, and others in which the upper 

 breast is strongly and distinctly, though irregularly barred. 

 The upper surfaces differ widely ; some are altogether brighter, the 

 black more intense, the markings on the scapulars more intense 

 rusty, their pale margins a brighter and richer buff." 



The variations in the under parts are certainly individual, but 

 on the upper parts the brightness and depth of colouring depend, 

 as in so many birds, on the newness of the feathers. As is well 

 known, black and red are the colours, next to green, which weather 

 most and consequently show most variation in the colouration of new 

 and old feathers. 



Just as there are pale and melanistic forms of the Fantail Snipe, 

 so are there of the Pintail. 



Of the latter type there is, however, but one at present on record, 

 and that is the one recorded by Hume in ' Game-Birds.' Of this 

 he writes ; — 



"Before the Mutiny I had a specimen procured near Dacca, 

 which was everywhere blackish dusky, darker than either of the only 

 two Sabine's Snipe I ever saw, but very similar to these ; but alike 

 in these and in all the albinoid specimens I have seen, the wing 



