828 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERV. 



public institutions of the kingdom. The following is au 

 accurate description of the bird, by which it will be at once 

 distinguished from its congeners. 



The whole length of the bird is about eleven inches ; the 

 ])eak two inches and five-eighths, or three-quarters, and is 

 dark-brown at the point, paler reddish-brown at the base ; 

 iridcs, dark-brown ; upper part of the head, the back of the 

 neck, back, scapulars, wing, coverts and tertials, dusky- 

 brown, each feather varied by narrow transverse bands of 

 pale yellow-brown, which are less numerous on the back than 

 on the wings ; primary quill-feathers, dull black, with black 

 shafts ; upper tail coverts, greyish-brown ; tail-feathers with 

 the basal half black, the terminal half chestnut-bro^vn, spotted 

 and barred with black ; the two centre feathers have rather 

 more, and the outer feathers rather less of black than the 

 others ; chin, neck, breast, and all the under parts of the 

 body, a mixture of dull brown and pale yellow-brown, in 

 alternate j^ellow bars over the whole surface ; legs and toes 

 very dark chestnut-brown, with black claws. 



For the information of sportsmen who may be desirous of 

 seeing this bird, I may mention, that the specimens are de- 

 posited as follows : — The first in the museum of the Zoolo- 

 gical Society, Bruton-street, London ; the second in the 

 valuable collection of Mr. Dunning, of Maidstone ; the third 

 in that of Mr. William Thompson, Donegal -square, Belfast ; 

 and a fourth in the collection of Mr. W. P. Selby, Twizel 

 House, near Brampton, ^N'orthumberland. 



The Great or Double ^m?e. — This bird was long con- 

 founded with the common snipe, as on the wing it looks very 

 little larger; but may be at once distinguished by its tail 

 being spread like a fan ; its flight is also steadier and hea 

 vier, which may in a certain degree arise from the aptitude 

 of this bird to make fat. 



