ROSTRATULA. 293 



chiefly north of the Arctic circle, and passes the winter in the 

 southern countries of Europe and Asia and in N. Africa. It 

 occurs throughout India, Ceylon, and Burma at that season, but is 

 rare in the two latter, and most common in .Northern India. 



Habits, fyc. The Jack Snipe generally arrives in India in Sep- 

 tember and leaves in April. It is found in similar haunts to those 

 of other Snipes, but generally in thicker cover, amongst thick 

 grass or weeds or rushes, in damp rather than wet places ; it lies 

 very close and rises silently with a peculiar fluttering flight, and it 

 never flies far. As a rule it is a solitary bird and has an especial 

 predilection for particular spots. Its food resembles that of other 

 Snipes, and it is, according to many good authorities, the most 

 delicately flavoured in a particularly delicious genus. Of course it 

 never breeds in India : its eggs are remarkable for their large size ; 

 the four eggs that it usually lays are said to weigh more than an 

 ounce and a half, whilst the bird itself weighs but two. 



Genus ROSTRATULA, Vieill., 1816. 



Bill slender and long, but shorter than in Gallinago generally; 

 the tip slightly swollen and bent downward, not pitted; both 

 mandibles grooved at the side ; nostrils basal. Legs of moderate 

 length ; toes long, tibia naked for a considerable distance. Wings 

 ample, rather short and broad, first and second quills subequal and 

 longest. Tail of 14 feathers. Sexes different in plumage. 



A non-migratory genus of weak flight, with the sexes differing 

 in plumage when adult. Three species are known, one peculiar to 

 Australia, a second found in South America, whilst the third 

 inhabits India and Africa. 



1488. Rostratula capensis. The Painted Snipe. 



Scolopax capensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 246 (1766). 



Kail us benghalensis, Linn. t. c. p. 263 (1766). 



Kostratula capensis, Vieill. Noui\ Lict. d'Hist. Nat. vii, p. 1 (1817) ; 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiv, p. 683. 



Ehynchaea capensis, Cttv. Reyne An. i. p. 488 (1817) ; Walden, 

 Tr. Z. S. ix, p. 235 ; Wood- M ason, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 74o ; Wardl 

 Rams. Ibis, 1880, p. 71 ; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 800; Hume # 



p. 322 ; Seebohm, Ckaradr. p. 456 ; Oates in Hume's N. Sf E> 2nd ed. 

 iii, p. 3.50. 



pt. 2, p. 21 ; Butler, S. F. vii, p. 187 ; Ball fy Hume, ibid. p. 228 ; 

 Cripps, ibid. p. 302 : Hume, ibid. p. 484 ; id. Cat. no. 873 ; Doig, S. F. 

 viii, p. 371 ; Vidal, S. F. ix, p. 84 ; Bingham, ibid. p. 197 ; David- 

 son, ibid. p. 236; Davison, &. F x p. 414; Barnes Birds Bom. 



