246 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



sometimes met with in which the plumage is of a uniform dark brown, and 

 these have been described as a new species under the name of Scolopax 

 sabinii, but there is no doubt that they are merely melanistic varieties of 

 the Common Snipe ; whilst, on the other hand, examples are sometimes 

 obtained having the axillaries and a great portion of the under surface 

 of the wing white, which, in a similar manner, are nothing but semi-albino 

 varieties. 



COMMON SNIPE S NEST. 



