14 SCOLOPACID^. 



primary quill-feathers blackish brown, with triangular spots 

 of pale reddish brown along the margin of each web; 

 secondaries and tertials of the same ground colour, blackish 

 brown, but the light-coloured marks are more elongated, 

 and extend from the margin of the web to the shaft of the 

 feather ; rump and upper tail-coverts chestnut-brown, 

 tinged with grey and barred transversely with dark brown ; 

 tail-feathers black above, tipped with pure dark grey ; chin 

 very pale yellow brown ; neck in front, breast, and all the 

 under surface of the body, wood-brown, transversely barred 

 with dark brown, both shades of brown on the under sur- 

 face becoming lighter in old birds ; under wing-coverts 

 pale brown, barred with dark brown ; under surface of the 

 quill-feathers dry-slate grey, the triangular markings yel- 

 lowish grey ; under surface of the tail-feathers nearly black, 

 tipped with delicate snow-white ; legs and toes livid brown, 

 claws black. 



The whole length about fourteen inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing, eight inches 

 and a half; the second quill-feather the longest. 



As in this family generally, the females of the Woodcock 

 are larger than the males at the same age ; the youngest 

 birds have the shortest beaks. Females have the upper 

 part of the back more black, and the lower part of the 

 back more red, than males. 



Males have the forehead more inclined to grey, with the 

 chin white ; and the space above and below the decided 

 dark brown mark, from the beak to the eye much lighter in 

 colour, almost white, with the small dark triangular speck 

 at the end of these light- coloured feathers better defined : 

 the back has more of the pale brown and grey, and the 

 rump less of the red, than the females ; but the triangular 

 marks on the outer web of the first quill-feather are rather 



