BRITISH BIRDS. 177 



Nostrils basal, lateral. Tibia feathered; anterior toes 

 without membranes ; hind toe moderate. 



280. Seolopax rustieola, Linn. WOODCOCK. 



Hab. Palsearctic regions. 



Adult : feathers of upper parts rufous, freckled and 

 barred with black and tipped with grey ; chin white ; 

 under parts greyish-white, suffused with buff and barred 

 with brown ; bill dusky-brown ; iris dark brown ; tarsi 

 slate. Length 12*00. 



Common eveiywhere in winter, but also nesting 

 irregularly in most districts. Eggs : 4 ; pale buff, 

 blotched with pale and dark reddish-brown, and with 

 underlying lilac blotches ; shape somewhat globular ; 

 170 by 1*30; laid in a depression among dead leaves 

 in thick coverts. 



GENUS CLXVIII. GALLINAGO, Leach (1816). 



Differs from Seolopax chiefly in having the inner 

 secondaries about as long as the primaries, and the tibiae 

 bare on lower portion. 



291. Gallinago major (Gmel.). GREAT SNIPE. 



Hab. Northern Europe and Western Siberia. In 

 winter southward to whole of Africa. 



Occurs annually in east and south of England during 

 autumn, but more rarely in west ; not more than ten have 

 been killed in Scotland, and only four in Ireland. It may 

 be distinguished from G. gallinago by the wing-coverts 

 being tipped with white, and the four outer tail-feathers 

 on each side being almost entirely white ; tail-feathers 

 also are 16 in number, instead of 14. Length 8*75 ; 

 wing 5-50. 



N 



