Capt. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 393 



tuuity of examining." On 17th October of the same year I 

 note that an officer of the same regiment " shot three, all of 

 which were Common Snipe in bad condition; but those killed 

 lately by Colonel Brown at Martaban were all Pm-tailed; of 

 these I examined seven or eight couple ; and seven more killed 

 the next day at Zwagaben plain were also Pin-tailed ;" so 

 that the conclusion we would draw from this seems to be that 

 the present species comes first to India but last to Burmah ; to 

 settle this point, however, in a more satisfactory way can only 

 be done by a further series of accurate notes taken two or three 

 years in succession by some competent naturalist residing on 

 the spot. Zwagaben is about twenty-five miles distant from 

 Moulmein in a northerly or north-westerly direction {cf. P.Z.S. 

 1866, p. 2). 



871. Gallinago scolopacinus. Common Snipe. 



I procured this species abundantly both at Barrackpore and 

 in the Maunbhoom district in 1864'. At the former place I 

 one day killed three flying, at one shot, when out shooting 

 against some other officers, and thus made the best bag. A 

 " wisp " of six rose suddenly, and I fired into " the brown '' of 

 them. In the neighbourhood of Julpigoorie I have noticed that, 

 in April and May, when the sun begins to put forth his power, 

 this species leaves the swampy ground and takes to high and 

 grass-covered jungle, as if seeking the shade afforded by the 

 bushes. Colonel Drury tells me that in the Gorruckpore dis- 

 trict he has frequently found Snipe in high sugar-canes and 

 " rehr dall " jungle, neither of which grow in swampy ground. 



Dr. Jerdon says that " Snipe always rise with a piping call" ; 

 but, although they do so generally, I am quite sure that I have 

 frequently flushed them without hearing any note uttered. The 

 difference between this and the preceding species is not recog- 

 nized by most sportsmen in India. 



The Burmese call both the Snipe and Goatsucker '' Mye- 

 wote " — from their habit of dwelling on the earth, according to 

 Dr. Mason, in his work on Burmah. 



872. Gallinago gallinula. Jack Snipe. 



First noticed by me on the 17th November in 1864, at Bar- 



