120 GRALLATORES. SCOLOPAX. SNIPE. 



amount to twelve, it differs from Scolopax major, which has 

 sixteen, and Scolopax Gallinago, which has fourteen ; it 

 agrees, however, in this point, with Scolopax Gallmula, which 

 also has but twelve ; but it can never be confounded with 

 that bird, from the great disproportion between the essential 

 characters of both : the bill alone of Scolopax Sabim exceed- 

 ing that of the latter species by one-third of its length. In 

 the relative length and strength of the tarsi it equally differs 

 from all. These members, although stouter than those of 

 Scolopax Gallinago, fall short of them by / O ths of an inch ; 

 they are much weaker, on the other hand, than those of Sco- 

 lopax major, although they nearly equal them in length." 

 Such are the characters that distinguish it from all the other 

 species of Snipes, and which, independent of the peculiarity 

 of plumage, are sufficient to entitle it to rank as specifically 

 distinct. Of its general economy I can say nothing ; but, 

 judging from analogy, it may be inferred that in this point 

 it bears a close r2semblance to the rest of the genus *. 



PLATE 24. Fig. 1. Represents the bird of the natural size, 

 taken from the above mentioned specimen, in the mu- 

 seum of the Zoological Society. 



General Head, throat, and neck brownish-black, speckled with ob- 

 tion. scure chestnut-brown. Belly and vent brownish-black, 



barred with chestnut-brown. Back and scapulars black, 

 with obscure chestnut-brown bars and spots. Under 

 wing-coverts brownish-black. The tail consists of twelve 

 feathers, the basal half of which are black ; the remaining 

 part chestnut-brown, with black fascia. Bill (which is two 

 inches and seven-tenths in length) blackish-brown, pass- 

 ing into yellowish-brown at the base. Legs and feet 

 blackish-grey. Tarsus an inch and a quarter 1< 



* Since the above account was put to press, I have received a fresh spe- 

 cimen of this rare Snipe from Morpeth, possessing all the characteristics 

 of Mr VIGORS'S bird. The under parts are perhaps a little darker, having 

 fewer bars or undulations of the lighter tint. 



