284: 



pt. 2, p. 70 ; Beavan, Ibis, 18C8,p. 391 ; Brooks, J. A. S. B. xliii, 

 pt. 2, p. 253 ; Hume, S. F. ii, p. 482 ; A. Anderson, S. F. iii, p. 356 ; 

 Godw.-Aust. J.A.S. B. xlv, pt. 2, p. 200 ; Fairbank, S. F. v, p. 409 ; 

 Butler, ibid. p. 504 ; Hume $ Dai\ S. F. vi, p. 458 ; Ball, S. F. vii, 

 p. 228 ; Laird, ibid. p. 470 ; Hume, ibid. p. 483 ; id. Cat. no. 867 ; 

 Bingham, S. F. viii, p. 196 ; Scully, ibid. p. 353 ; Hume $ Marsh. 

 Game B. iii, p. 309, pi. ; Williamson, S. F. x, p. 517 ; Barnes, 

 Birds Bom. p. 343 ; Seebohm, Charadr. p. 502 ; Hume, S. F. xi, 

 p. 318. 



Scolopax rusticula, Wharton, Ibis, 1879, p. 453 ; id. S. F. viii, 

 p. 500 ; Legye, Birds Ceyl. p. 806 ; Butler, S. F. ix, p. 428 ; 

 Biddulpb, Ibis, 1881, p. 95; Scully, ibid. p. 588; C. H. T. Mar- 

 shall, Ibis, 1884, p. 424; Dtrmson, S. F. x, p. 413 ; Gates, B. B. ii, 

 p. 380; St. John, Ibis, 1889, p. 176; Oates in Hume's N.fyE. 

 2nd ed. iii, p. 349; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiv, p. 671. 



Chinjarole (Chamba), Sim Kukra (Kiimaun), Simtitar, Tutitar, II. 



Coloration. Upper plumage a mixture of brownish grey with 

 imperfect bars of rufous and black blotches ; forehead and sinciput 

 greyish, occiput and nape black with narrow cross-bands ; dark 

 loral and cheek bands ; rest of sides of head and of neck buff, with 

 black spots ; some large black blotches on the scapulars ; on the 

 wing-coverts and tertiaries the colour passes into dark brown with 

 rufous cross-bands ; the primary-coverts, primaries, and secondaries 

 are blackish brown, indented with rufous on both edges; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts barred rufous arid black ; tail-feathers 

 black, with their tips dark grey above, silvery white below, and 

 with rufous spots on their edges; lower parts brownish white, 

 with dark-brown cross-bars, which become black and coalesce to 

 some extent on the throat ; chin whitish or white. 



Bill dusky brown, livid at base of lower mandible ; iris blackish 

 brown; feet greyish, plumbeous, or drab. 



Length 14; tail 3-25; wing 7'75 ; tarsus 1-5 ; bill from gape 3. 

 There is no constant difference in size between the sexes. Indian 

 birds are smaller than those of Western Europe. 



Distribution. Throughout Europe and Asia, breeding in the 

 North, and wintering in the South. The Woodcock breeds through- 

 out the Himalayas above 10,000 feet, and in winter migrates lo 

 the lower valleys, and also to the hills of Southern India and 

 Burma, being occasionally met with on migration throughout the 

 Empire, thus at intervals of years specimens are brought to the 

 Calcutta bazaar. Woodcocks are of rare occurrence in Ceylon. 

 On the Nilgiris Woodcock shooting is one of the principal sports. 



Habits, tyc. The Woodcock, as its name implies, is usually found 

 in cover, often in forest, and as a rule in the Himalayas near 

 running water; it is a solitary bird, resting in the day and feeding 

 chiefly at night, on worms, grubs, and insects. The presence of 

 the bird may often be inferred from the holes made by its bill in 

 soft ground when it is searching for worms. It breeds in the 

 Himalayas about June, and lays four eggs in a hollow in moss or 

 dead leaves. The eggs vary from pale buff to reddish drab, speckled 

 and spotted with rufous brown and purplish grey, and measure 



