602 SCOLOPACID.E. 



interscapulars, scapulars, and back, rich brownish black, with 

 central lines and broad mai-gins of rich buflf or fawn colour ; 

 lesser wing-coverts nearly black, the upper series tipped with 

 pale brown, the lower series tipped with white ; great coverts 

 black, tipped with white ; primary quill-feathers dull greyish 

 black, with white shafts ; secondaries dull black, tipped with 

 white ; tertials black, barred and streaked with pale brown ; 

 rump very dark brown, edged with pale brown ; upper tail- 

 coverts pale yellow brown, varied with dark brown ; tail-fea- 

 thers sixteen, the four on each outside nearly all white, the 

 others rich brownish black over three-fourths of their length 

 from the base, then a patch of chestnut, bounded by a circle 

 of black, and tipped with white ; chin pale yellow brown ; 

 breast and sides of the body with half-circular bands of 

 brownish black on pale brown ; belly and vent pale brownish 

 white ; legs and toes greenish brown, the claws black. The 

 legs and toes are subject to some variation in colour : I have 

 seen them in fresh-killed birds of a livid green, and even of 

 a light drab colour. 



The whole length about twelve inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the first quill-feather, which is the longest 

 in the wing, five inches and a half. The weight, from seven 

 to nine ounces, depending on age and sex. The females 

 larger than the males. 



The males are lighter in colour above and below the dark 

 stripe behind the base of the beak, like the Woodcock ; and 

 the breast is less covered with the dark half-circular mark- 

 ings : the white spots at the ends of the wing-coverts are 

 rather larger, and more conspicuous from their purer white 

 colour. Young birds in their first autumn have short beaks, 

 and fewer, if any, white outside tail-feathers ; these are pro- 

 bably obtained at their first moult, as this species is some- 

 times described as being without any white outer tail-feathers, 

 and at others with as many as five on each outside. 



