30 SCOIOPACID^. 



wing-coverts are rather larger, and more conspicuous from 

 their purer white colour. Young birds in their first 

 autumn have short beaks, and fewer, if any, white outside 

 tail-feathers ; these are probably obtained at their first 

 moult, as this species is sometimes described as being 

 without any white outer tail-feathers, and at others with 

 as many as five on eac^ outside. 



The vignette below represents the young of the Common 

 Snipe. 



