610 SCOLOrACID.E. 



pale yellow brown in winter, are in this bird of a rich reddish 

 brown ; the first new inter-scapular feather on eacli side has 

 just appeared, with its usual broad, buff- coloured margin, 

 affording a striking contrast to the narrower white margins 

 of the feathers lower down on the body. 



The whole length of a Common Snipe is about ten inches 

 and a half; the length of the beak about two inches and 

 three-quarters ; from the carpal joint to the end of the first 

 quill-feather, which is the longest in the wing, five inches ; 

 the sexes are alike in plumage, but the female exceeds the 

 male in size. 



A young bird about two-thirds grown, with the beak only 

 one inch long, and with down still adhering about the head, 

 has the narrow, light-coloured margins, and the rich red 

 brown on the feathers of the upper surface of the body, and 

 wings, as in the old bird in summer. 



The vignette below represents the young of the Common 

 Snipe. 



