The Snipes. 45 1 



men in Native Sikhim in June. These 

 eggs are referred to the Wood-Snipe by 

 Mr. Hume in the note he gave me for 

 the second edition of the " Nests and 

 Eggs," and also in the " Game Birds " ; 

 but one of the three eggs in the Hume 

 Collection is marked as being that of 

 the Solitary Snipe, and all three eggs 

 agree exactly with five other eggs of the 

 latter species, taken by Mr. A. E. Pratt 

 in the pine-forests above Ta-chien-lu in 

 Western Sze-chuen. 



The eggs of this Snipe are very distinct 

 from the eggs of the other Snipes, so far 

 as they are known to me. The ground- 

 colour is pinkish buff. The surface- 

 markings consist of very large blotches 

 and some small spots and specks of rich 

 reddish or chocolate-brown. These are 

 most frequent on the larger half of the 

 egg, where they are often confluent and 

 form a large cap. The underlying blotches 

 and spots are dull purple. The eggs are 

 much pointed at one end and rounded at 

 the other, and have little or no gloss. 

 They measure from 1*7 to r8 in length 

 and from 1*25 to 1*3 in breadth. 



The Solitary Snipe has the upper 

 plumage delicately marked and cross- 

 barred throughout, the pale markings 



