COMMON SNIPE. 009 



men Snipe breeds in great quantities in the extensive marshes 

 of Hungary and Ulyria. In 1828, in the drains about Lay- 

 bach, in Illyria, these birds were seen in the middle of July. 

 Mr. Strickland observes, that it is abundant in the marshes 

 about Smyrna in winter, and it is said to go to Lower Egypt. 



In winter the beak is dark brown at the end, pale reddish 

 brown at the base ; the iridcs dark brown ; from the base of 

 the beak to the eye a dark brown streak ; over the streak, 

 over the eye and the ear-coverts, a streak of pale brown ; all 

 the upper part of the head very dark brown, divided along 

 the centre by a single pale brown streak ; back, dark brown, 

 .slightly spotted with pale brown ; inter-scapulars, and scapu- 

 lars dark brown in the centre, with broad external, lateral 

 margins of rich buff, forming four conspicuous lines along 

 the upper surface of the body ; wing-coverts spotted Avith 

 pale brown, on a ground of dull black, and tipped with 

 white ; tertials barred with pale brown, on a black ground ; 

 the primaries dull black, secondaries the same, but tipped 

 with white ; upper tail-coverts barred, alternately, with pale 

 brown, and dusky black ; basal half of tail-feathers, dull 

 black, varied on the margins with pale reddish brown, on the 

 distal half of the feather an oval patch of pale chestnut, 

 bounded by a dusky brown band, and tipped with paler 

 chestnut. The chin, brownish white ; cheeks pale brown, 

 ear-coverts darker ; sides, and front of the neck, pale brown, 

 spotted with darker brown ; breast, belly, and vent, white ; 

 sides, and flanks, greyish white, barred with dusky black ; 

 under tail-coverts, pale yellow brown, barred with greyish 

 black ; legs and toes greenish brown. 



A Snipe shot by myself in the first week in August, an 

 old bird in summer plumage, but with the autumn moult 

 just commencing, has the outer lateral margin of the inter- 

 scapular, and scapular feathers narrow, and almost white ; all 

 the parts of the plumage, on the back and wings, which arc 



VOL. II. 2 R 



