RYNCHOSA. BIRDS. 301 



The Snipe is met with in marshy situations in almost every part of the world, 

 and is very plentiful in Britain. In very wet seasons it resorts to the hills ; but 

 it more generally frequents tke marshes in plains, where it can penetrate the soil 

 with its long bill in quest of worms. Some few remain with us the whole year, and 

 breed in the extensive wet moors and mountainous bogs. The nest is formed of 

 coarse grass, or heath, lined with feathers, and placed in a dry spot, contiguous to a 

 pool or swamp. The eggs, which are usually four or five, are whitish, spotted with 

 cinereous and brown, and, like those of the Lapwing, much pointed, and invariably 

 ranged with their small ends inwards. 



S. gallinula, Lin. The Jack Snipe. The tail composed of twelve 

 feathers ; a broad longitudinal black band, spotted with rufous, 

 running from the forehead to the nape. 7i inches long. Inha- 

 bits Europe. B. Lenin's Brit. Birds, iv. pi. 159. 



*** Exterior and middle toe united by a very short membrane. 



S. grisea, Gmel. Red-breasted Snipe. Top of the head, breast, 

 and coverts of the wings ashy-brown, without spot ; eyebrows, 

 throat, and thighs white ; tail-feathers twelve, with numerous 

 black and white bands. 10 inches long. Inhabits Europe and 

 America. B. Shaw, xii. pi. 9. 



Gen. 26. RYNCH<EA,CUV. Scolopax, Lin. Rostratula, Vieill. 



Bill longer than the head, gibbous towards the point, much 

 compressed, inflected towards the end ; upper mandible fur- 

 rowed in its whole length, the under only at the point ; nasal 

 furrow prolonged to the middle of the bill ; tongue as long 

 as the bill, pointed ; nostrils linear ; tarsus longer than the 

 intermediate toe ; the anterior toes wholly divided ; hind toe 

 articulated on the tarsus. 



R. Capensis, Tern. Cape Snipe. Plumage reddish-brown ; bill, 

 and a line on the vertex, reddish ; a black band on the breast, 

 and a white line on each side of the back. 10 inches long. In- 

 habits Cape of Good Hope. Shaw, xii. pi. 10. 



Gen. 27. EURYPYGA, Illig. Ardea, Lin. 



Bill long, straight, hard, compressed, with the point a little 

 tumid ; nasal furrow very deep ; sides of the lower mandi- 

 ble sulcated ; point of the bill notched ; nostrils basal, li- 

 near, long ; legs long, slender ; tarsus longer than the mid- 

 dle toe ; the external toe united by a membrane, the internal 

 divided, but all with membranous borders; hind toe on a 

 level with the others ; tail very long. 



E. Helias, Tern. Body banded with black, fulvous, and white ; ab- 

 domen and stripes on the head white ; neck rufous, with trans- 

 verse black lines ; tail clouded, with a black bar. 15 inches long. 

 Inhabits Guiana Shaw, xiv. 323. The only species of the genus. 



Gen. 28. RALLUS, Lin. 



Bill longer than the head, slender, slightly arched, or straight, 

 compressed at the base, cylindrical at the tip ; upper mancli- 



