THE COMMON SNIPE. 381 



There are a few instances on record of the occurrence of the Woodcock in 

 Tenasserim. 



It inhabits the whole of Europe, North Africa, and the greater portion 

 of Asia eastwards to Japan and China, and southwards to Ceylon and 

 Burmah. It has not yet been recorded from Cochin China, Siam, or the 

 Malay peninsula. 



The Woodcock frequents thick cover during the day and comes out more 

 into the open at night, which is its usual time for feeding. Cover, water 

 and soft swampy soil, into which it can thrust its long bill in search of 

 worms, are indispensable to the Woodcock. The stragglers that visit 

 Burmah will most probably be found on the banks of streams in the lower 

 ranges of hills, or where these join the plain. 



In the Himalayas the Woodcock breeds in June; in Europe earlier, in 

 April or May. The nest is merely a depression in the soil ; and the eggs, 

 four in number, are buff blotched with reddish brown. 



Genus GALLINAGO, Leach. 



727. GALLINAGO (XELESTIS. 

 THE COMMON SNIPE. 



Scolopax gallinago, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 244 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 681. 

 Scolopax ccelestis, Frenzel, Beschr. der Vogel und Hirer Eier in der Gegend 

 von Wittenberg, p. 58. Gallinago scolopacinus, Bonap. Comp. List Birds 

 Eur. and N. Amer. p. 52; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 674; Hume, Nests and 'Eggs, 

 p. 586 ; id. S. F. ii. pp. 294, 295 ; Parker, S. F. ii. p. 335 ; Hume, S. F. iii. 

 p. 182 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 156 ; Butler, S. F. v. p. 212 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, 

 p. 478 ; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. p. 459 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 820. Gallinago 

 gallinaria (Gm.~), Cripps, S. F. vii. p. 302; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 112; Bingham, 

 S. F. viii. p. 196; Scully, S. F. viii. p. 355; Gates, S. F. x. p. 239. Gallinago 

 ccelestis, Dresser, Birds Eur. vii. p. 641, pi. ; Hume fy Marsh. Game Birds, iii. 

 p. 359, pi. 



Description. Male and female. Crown of the head black with a fulvous 

 streak over the median line ; a blackish streak from the bill to the eye, 

 above and below which the feathers are pale fulvous ; chin whitish ; throat 

 and sides of the head and neck fulvous streaked with black; breast and sides 

 of the body fulvous barred with black ; abdomen and vent white ; under 

 tail- coverts fulvous streaked with brown ; under wing-coverts barred 

 indistinctly with black and white; tail black, the eud rufous mottled with 

 black ; upper plumage black, edged and streaked with rich fulvous and 

 chestnut ; wing-coverts black barred with fulvous ; quills dark brown, 

 narrowly edged with whitish. 



