220 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



whole surface, while in others they are of good size, forming 

 blotches, which are clustered round the larger end. Axis, 1*5- 

 1-7 inch; diam., ro-i'2. 



THE JACK-SNIPES. GENUS LIMNOCRYPTES. 



Litnnocryptes, Kaup. Nat. Syst. p. 118 (1829). 



Type, L. gallinula (Linn.). 



The present genus exhibits an important character in the 

 breast-bone, which has two notches in the posterior margin 

 instead of one, as in the ordinary Snipes and Woodcock. The 

 tail has only twelve feathers, and is decidedly wedge-shaped, 

 besides being uniform in colour. 



I. THE-JACK-SNIPE. LIMNOCRYPTES GALLINULA. 



Scolopax gallinula, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 244 (1766); Mac- 

 gill. Brit. B. iv. p. 380 (1882) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. 

 part xxx. (1895). 



Gallinago gallinula, Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 653, pi. 544 

 (1877); Saunders, ed. YarrelPs Brit. B. iii. p. 351 (1883); 

 Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 247 (1885); Saunders, 

 Man. Brit. B. p. 559 (1889). 



Limnocryptes gallinula, B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 167 (1883). 



(Plate LXXXVII.) 



Adult Male. General colour above black, with reflections of 

 glossy-green and purple, and a few rufous markings on the back, 

 mostly in the form of streaks ; the sides of the back orna- 

 mented with a longitudinal band of ochreous-buff from the 

 sides of the mantle along the scapulars ; a second buff band 

 is not so distinct along the parapteral feathers and inner 

 secondaries, being broken up by the black and rufous mark- 

 ings of these feathers ; lower back and rump uniform black ; 

 upper tail-coverts blackish, slightly freckled with rufous, and 

 having broad margins of ochreous-buff; wing-coverts blackish, 

 with pale rufescent margins, less distinct on the marginal 

 series, which are almost uniform ; the greater coverts uni- 

 form dusky-brown, with pale fringes ; bastard- wing, primary- 

 coverts and quills dusky-brown, with slight white tips to the 



