BULLET AND SHOT 



I. THE FAN-TAIL, OR COMMON SNIPE 

 (Gal linage c&lestis) 



This bird is widely distributed all over the 

 greater part of the empire in suitable localities. 

 It is impossible, where both species are often found 

 frequenting the same area in almost equal pro- 

 portions, to lay down any hard and fast rule ; but 

 it may be safely said, speaking generally, that he 

 is found in somewhat more humid spots (even upon 

 the same stretch of wet land) than is the pin-tail. 

 He is considered to be wilder, and to possess a 

 sharper and more erratic habit of flight, and is 

 moreover just a trifle larger than the latter, with 

 a rather longer bill which is slightly more flattened 

 at the tip than is that of the other species. 



The principal food of this snipe consists of 

 earth-worms, with small molluscs and other water- 

 insects, etc. 



The common snipe breeds in the Himalayas and 

 Thibet, and migrates to India proper each autumn, 

 remaining there until spring (and in some cases as 

 late as the month of May) of the following year. 



The average weight of both sexes calculated 

 by Mr. Hume (Hume and Marshall's Game Birds 

 of India] after numerous weighments of individuals, 

 works out as 4^ oz. per bird, the largest recorded 

 by him being a female which weighed 5^- oz. 



The most striking point of difference between 

 this species and the pin-tail lies in the number and 

 form of the tail feathers. Hume states that the 



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