333 



exposed ; wings moderate and pointed, with the first and 

 second quills equal and longest; tail short and rounded; 

 tarsi moderate, shorter than the middle toe, strong, and 

 covered in front with narrow transverse scales ; the tibia 

 bare for a short space above the knee ; toes long, the inner 

 toe shorter than the outer, and free at its base ; the hind toe 

 moderate and elevated, with the claw long and curved. 



624. Gallinago -SCquatorialis, Ruppeii ; G. 



Nigripennis et Macrodactyla, Bp. ; G. Scolopax Major 

 var., Gray ; G. Longirostris, Licht. nee Guv. 

 TAIL rounded, of sixteen feathers ; bill twice the length of 

 the head ; two longitudinal black bands on the head, separated 

 by a narrow medial, reddish-white band, and on each side 

 a yellowish-white band ; the upper parts variegated with 

 black and light-red, with four longitudinal yellowish-white 

 bands ; wing-coverts tipped with white ; three lateral tail- 

 feathers on each side, white ; sides transversely barred with 

 dusky; axillar feathers white, barred with greyish-black. 

 Length, 12"; wing, 5" 6'"; tail, 2" 6'". 



This fine Snipe may be easily distinguished from the "common 

 snipe," which is said by some sportsmen* to be likewise an inhabitant 

 of this colony, by the greater number of feathers in the tail, which in 

 the latter species only amount to fourteen ; it is also more brilliant in 

 colouring, and exceeds it in size. One specimen forwarded to the 

 Museum by the Hon'ble Mr. Southey weighed 9 oz. (avoir.) 



It is distributed throughout the colony, migrating from place to 

 place, according as the waters dry up. It prefers muddy swamps 

 to clear streams, crouching amid the rank herbage. Its flight, com- 

 pared to that of the common snipe, is slow and heavy, but is sufficiently 

 rapid to puzzle the Boer with his long flint gun, who never dreams of 

 firing a charge of shot at so insignificant a bird, which he is almost 

 sure to miss! Both this and the Painted Snipe breed in the marsh 

 below the Observatory near Cape Town. My son has captured the 

 young birds just excluded from the egg in November and December. 



Genus EHYNCH-^A, Cuvier. 



Bill moderate, rather curved, compressed and grooved on 

 the sides to the tip, which is much curved, and slightly 

 hooked over that of the lower mandible ; the nostrils basal, 

 placed in the lateral groove, with the opening linear and 

 exposed ; wings moderate, with the first three quills equal 

 and longest ; the tertials as long as the quills ; tail very 

 short ; tarsi as long as the middle toe, and covered in front 



* Shaw, Yol. XII., p. 57, also says that it is found at the Cape of Good Hope; but 

 as he does not give that as the habitat for the very plentiful G. JEquaiorialis, 

 I presume he has mistaken the one for the other. 

 * 



