JACK SNIPE. 45 



scapulars and scapulars nearly black, tipped with reddish 

 brown, both sets having broad external lateral margins of 

 rich buffy yellow : wing-coverts dusky black, edged with 

 pale brown ; primary quill-feathers dusky black, secondaX 

 ries the same, but ending in a white point ; tertials brown- 

 ish black, spotted and streaked with rich reddish brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts brown, edged with buff; tail-feathers 

 twelve, greyish black; cheeks, chin, and neck, greyish 

 brown, spotted with darker brown ; breast, belly, and vent 

 white ; legs and toes dark greenish brown ; claws black. 



The whole length is eight inches to eight inches and a 

 half; the length of the beak one inch and a half; from 

 the carpal joint to the end of the first quill -feather, which 

 is the longest, four inches and three-eighths. 



Females are larger in size than the males, but not so 

 bright in their colours. In the plumage of winter the red- 

 dish brown parts are more inclined to ash grey. 



Young birds have not the brilliant green and purple re- 

 flections observable in old birds. 



The Jack Snipe has lived for a month in captivity. For. 

 the successful mode of treatment, see the Zoologist for 

 1846, p. 1331. 



Lord Garvagh has in his collection a nest of the Jack 

 Snipe, with four eggs, taken in Ireland. 



