GALLLYAGO MAJOR. 277 



postmaster at San Roque, the late Mr. Macrae, an official well 

 known in those clays to the garrison of Gibraltar, and upon whose 

 veracity and knowledge of the bird I can depend, told me that 

 once, and only once, he saw at break of day a regular flight, or 

 what the Spaniards would call a " band " of Woodcocks passing 

 south. He described them as being about twenty or thirty in 

 number, but the light was so dim he could not see where they 

 went to. 



Feathers on breast barred ; sixteen tail-feathers with silvery-white tips 

 on underside ; greyish tips above. Length 13 inches. 



301. Gallinag-o major (J. F. Gmelin). The Great or Solitary 

 Snipe. 



Spanish. Agachadiza real. 



Favier only mentions a single specimen of this Snipe as having 

 been obtained by him near Tangier, in 1859. It is, however, 

 included in Mr. Drake's list, ' Ibis,' 1869, p. 153, as twice noticed 

 in March. 



The Great Snipe is only met with near Gibraltar on passage, 

 " here to-day, gone to-morrow." I saw two and shot one at 

 Casas Viejas on the 24th of October, 1868 ; one was killed near 

 Gibraltar on the 17th of October, 1871 ; and I know of another 

 obtained in April. It is there a well-known bird, but, passing 

 north late in April and early in May, and returning again in 

 September and October, is not very liable to be noticed; and 

 probably their chief line of migration lies more to the eastward. 



This Snipe is usually very tame, and, lying closely, shows the 

 external white feathers of the tail very much when rising ; and 

 generally alights again within a short distance, never uttering 

 any sound. 



Belly barred to the vent ; sixteen tail-feathers, lower half of the four 

 outside pairs white in adults, white with brown bar in young. Length 

 inches. 



