WILSON'S SNIPE. 435 



s^out, within a few yards of a house. At the latter part of 

 September, and during October, they are in their prime ; 

 and I know of no more exciting sport, and one that is so 

 generally satisfactory, than fall Woodcock hunting. By 

 the 10th of November, none of these birds are to be found 

 in New England. 



GALLINAGO, LEACH. 



Gallinago, "LEACH, Catal. British Birds (1816)." Gray. (Type Scolopax 

 major, L.) 



Lower portion of the tihia bare of feathers, scutellate before and behind, reticu- 

 lated laterally like the tarsi ; nail of hind toe slender, extending beyond the toe ; 

 bill depressed at the tip ; middle toe longer than tarsus ; tail with twelve to sixteen 

 feathers. 



The more slender body, longer legs, partly naked tibia, and other features, dis- 

 tinguish this genus from Scolopax or Philohela. 



GALLINAGO WILSONII. Bonaparte. 

 The Snipe ; Wilson's Snipe ; English Snipe. 



Scolopax Wilsonii, Nuttall. Man., II. 185. Aud. Orn. Biog., III. (1835)322; 

 V. (1839) 583. lb., Birds Amer., V. (1842) 339. 

 Gallinago Wilsonii, Bonaparte. List (1838). 

 Scolopax gallinago, Wilson. Am. Orn., VI. (1812) 18. Not of Linn^us. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill long, compressed, flattened, and slightly expanded towards the tip, pustu- 

 lated in its terminal half; wings rather long; legs moderate; tail short; entire upper 

 parts brownish-black; every feather spotted and widely edged with light-rufous, 

 yellowish-brown, or ashy-white; back and rump trai aversely barred and spotted 

 with the same; a line from the base of the bill over the top of the head; throat and 

 neck before, dull reddish-ashy; wing feather marked with dull brownish-black; 

 other under parts white, with transverse bars of brownish-black on the sides, axil- 

 lary feathers and under wing coverts and under tail coverts; quills brownish-black; 

 outer edge of first primary white ; tail glossy brownish-black, widely tipped with 

 bright-rufous, paler at the tip, and with a subterminal narrow band of black ; outer 

 feathers of tail paler, frequently nearly white, and barred with black throughout 

 their length; bill brown, yellowish at base, and darker towards the end; legs dark- 

 brown; iris hazel. 



Total length, about ten and a half inches; wing, five; tail, two and a quarter; 

 bill, two and a half; tarsus, one and a quarter inch. 



Hab. Entire temperate regions of North America; California (Mr. Szabo). 



The Snipe is equally well known, and as great a favorite 

 with sportsmen, as the preceding species. It arrives from 



