THE PAINTED SNIPE 



Rliynchoea capensis 



Heail and neck a rich red-brown, darkest on the lower 

 neck or breast ; dark streak through eye ; buff marking from 

 beak to top of head ; back a changing brown with purple 

 and green reflections on the wing, barred with darker mark- 

 ings ; the large wing-feathers have rows of bright buff spots 

 on their outer margins ; rump a dark slaty grey with darker 

 wavy bars ; buff" stripes on shoulders ; legs greenish ; beak 

 reddish-brown ; eyes brown. Length, 93 inches. 



This name is unfortunate, for some people seem to 

 imagine that the bird will be found to have paint on 

 it, like a painted Sparrow ! Though a handsomely 

 marked bird, those who have shot much say that as 

 a sporting bird it is not to be compared with the 

 common Snipe, as it rises slowly, it does not twist 

 or zig-zag about, and is content with a very short 

 flight. It is a resident bird, and breeds in May r in 

 Lower Egypt. I met with it at Lake Menzaleh 

 when there in April, and it possibly is more common 

 throughout the country than is imagined, as it lies 

 very close in cover, and rarely shows itself unless 

 compelled to by being almost trodden upon. 



128 



