190 A HAND -LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



and Bermudas. Replaced in America by the very closely-allied 

 G. gallinago wilsoni. 



LIMNOCRYPTES GALLINULA 



410. Limnocryptes gallinula (L.) THE JACK SNIPE. 



SCOLOPAX GALLINULA Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. xii, i, p. 244 (1766 



Europe). 



Gallinago gallinula (Linnaeus), Yarrell, in, p. 351 ; Saunders, p. 575. 



DISTRIBUTION. British Isles. Winter-visitor (early Sept. and Oct. 

 to April and occasionally later). Generally distributed but decidedly 

 local. No authentic case of nesting. Possibly also a passage- 

 migrant. 



DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Breeds in arctic regions of Old World ; 

 passes on migration through the intervening countries, and winters 

 as far south as north Africa, Persia, Afghanistan, India, Ceylon and 

 Burmah. 



SCOLOPAX RUSTICOLA 



411. Scolopax rusticola L. THE WOODCOCK. 



SCOLOPAX RUSTICOLA Linnaeus, Syst. Xat., ed. x, i, p. 146 (1758 Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Scolopax rusticula Linnaeus, Yarrell, in, p. 320 ; Saunders, p. 569. 



DISTRIBUTION. British Isles. Resident and winter-visitor. Breeds 

 most parts and increasingly ; in some years, as 1902, 1904, and 1908 

 in parts of Scotland in unusual numbers. Winter- visitors arrive 

 east coast Great Britain Oct. and Nov., and depart March. A 

 proportion of our breeding -birds emigrate, and winter weather- 

 movements are often noted. 



DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Breeds on Madeira, Canary Islands, and 

 Azores, in Europe from Arctic Circle to Pyrenees, Alps, Balkans, and 

 Caucasus (but not in Greece), and eastwards through Asia to Hima- 

 layas (not rare above 10,000 feet), and even north Japan. Winters 

 in Mediterranean countries, as far as north-west Africa, in Egypt, 

 Persia, India, Burmah, rarely as far as Ceylon, and China. Some 

 winter in west Europe, especially in mild winters. Has been 

 recorded once from Fseroes, and stragglers are occasionally found 

 in eastern North America from Newfoundland to Virginia. 



HYDROCHELIDON NIGRA 



412. Hydrochelidon nigra nigra (L.) THE BLACK TERN. 



STERNA NIGRA Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 137 (1758 Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : near Upsala). 



Hydrochelidon nigra (Linnaeus), Yarrell, m, p. 516 ; Saunders, p. 633. 



DISTRIBUTION. England and Wales. Passage-migrant, April and 



