220 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



back has less of the pale brown and grey; the first quill 

 feather is without spots on the outer edge; upper tail coverts 

 more red and less grey than in the male." 



On the other hand, Gould states: "Many I have dissected, 

 weighed and measured the moment after they were killed, and I 

 must admit that at the end of a day's shooting I am still unable 

 to say with certainty from their size which are male and which 

 are female. This arises partly from the circumstance of there 

 being two distinct races frequently intermingled in the same 

 coverts. 



" In the case of 4he common snipe I have ascertained that 

 the male is undoubtedly the bigger bird, and if there be any 

 difference between the sexes of the woodcock, I believe it will 

 be the same as in that bird ; at the same time I must remark 

 that dissection has proved many of the large and long-billed 

 birds are females. Some sportsmen assert that they can dis- 

 tinguish the sexes by an examination of the outer primary, 

 affirm that those birds which have the external margin of that 

 feather plain or devoid of tooth-like markings are males, and 

 those in which they exist are females. But they are absent 

 in both sexes in very old birds." 



Twelve male and twelve female birds measured gave greater 

 weight and length of wing to the former than the latter. 



"I believe that the males generally have the shorter bill, the 

 longer wing, and the finer tail, while the rump of this sex is 

 more red, and the barrings of the under surface of the body 

 more distinct." 



The "Badminton Library" believes that "the male wood- 

 cock may possibly be distinguished from the female by its 

 smaller size and darker colour." Yarrell agrees with Morris 

 so far that the female is the larger bird, but is of one mind 

 with Gould about the triangular marks on the outer web of the 

 first quill feather being rather the indication of youth than of 

 sex. " They are obliterated by degrees, and in succession, from 

 the base to the end of the feather." 



