272 CHABADBIID^E 



Immature, male and female. Kesembles the adult 

 plumage except that the barring on the outer webs of the 

 first two primaries is much more marked, and the general 

 shade of plumage is darker ; the light-coloured band on the 

 tail-feathers is narrower than that of the adult. 



BEAK. Horn-colour at the basal part, dark brown 

 towards the point ; long and straight. 



FEET. Brownish. 



IBIDES. Blackish-brown. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 14'25 in. 



WING 7-25 ,, 



BEAK 2'75 ,, 



TARSO-METATARSUS ... ... 1'5 ,, 



EGG 1-75 x T3 in. 



GREAT SNIPE. Gallinago major (J. F. Gmelin). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, ' Birds of Great Britain,' vol. iv, pi. 

 78; Dresser, 'Birds of Europe,' vol. vii, pi. 541; Lilford, 

 ' Coloured Figures,' vol. v, pi. 25. 



The Great or Solitary 1 Snipe is a visitant to the British 

 Isles in small numbers. In the eastern and southern 

 counties of England it probably appears annually in autumn 

 and winter, but in spring it is very rare. Elsewhere in 

 England, as well as in Scotland, it occurs seldom and 

 irregularly. From the latter country about a dozen in- 

 stances are on record ; a bird obtained in Aberdeenshire, 

 September 5th, 1905, seems to be the most recent capture 

 (Sim, 'Zoologist/ 1905, p. 466). 



In Ireland, it is very rare, and of the several reported 

 instances of its occurrence few have been authenticated. 

 Specimens have been taken in the following counties : 

 Cork, Wexford, Kildare, Gal way, Mayo, Leitrim, and 

 Tyrone. A bird obtained in the last-named county on 

 September 8th, 1899, appears to be the most recent capture 

 known (E. Williams). 



1 The name ' Solitary' is applied to this species because it is seldom, 

 if ever, seen in ' wisps ' like the Common Snipe. 



