114 GRALLATORES. SCOLOPAX. WOODCOCK. 



and nearly on a level with the crown, which gives its head, 

 and those of the Snipes, a square compressed form, not seen 

 to that degree in any other members of the ScolopatidtE. 

 The above-mentioned peculiarity, however, enables these 

 birds to probe the ground to a greater depth without incon- 

 venience, and at the same time considerably extends the 

 sphere of vision. 



The female (contrary to the account given in SHAWLS 

 Zoology), generally exceeds the male bird in size ; she also 

 has less^of the white and greyish- white upon the back and 

 scapulars, and the under parts are of a redder tinge. The 

 outer web of the first quill-feather is also barred for the 

 whole of its length, which, in the male, is often entirely 

 white, or with a few faint bars near to the tip only. 



PLATE 23. Fig. 1. Represents the Woodcock of the natural 



size. 



General Bill flesh-red, tinged with bluish-grey, increasing in inten- 

 tion!" 1 sity of colour towards the point ; in the living bird 

 smooth, but becoming wrinkled or rough near the tip, 

 by the desiccation of the nervous fibres, soon after 

 death. Forehead and crown grey. From the corners 

 of the bill to the eyes is a streak of deep brown. Hind 

 part of the head, and nape of the neck, having four 

 broad brownish -black bars, the intermediate spaces be- 

 ing reddish-white. Chin white. On each side of the 

 front of the neck is a patch of brown, more or less dis- 

 tinct in different individuals. Upper parts of the plu- 

 mage a mixture of chestnut-brown, pale ochreous yel- 

 low and grey, with large spots and zigzag transverse 

 lines and bars of black ; the black most intense upon 

 the back and scapulars. Rump and tail-coverts pale 

 chestnut-brown ; some of the latter with pale reddish- 

 white tips and narrow transverse bars of black. Tail 

 black, more or less varied with chestnut-brown ; the 

 tips of the feathers grey above, and pure white below. 



