312 BRITISH BIRDS. 



more or less evenly, blotched with dark brown. The rest of 

 the plumage is of normal coloration, but, owing to long ex- 

 posure to the light, both specimens are sadly faded. 



C. Ingram. 



[Mr. Ingram kindly forwarded us an accurately coloured 

 sketch of the bird in question, and this we have submitted to 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney, who has for some years taken a great 

 interest in this variety of the Partridge, which persistently 

 recurs in Norfolk. Mr. Gurney writes as follows : — 



" On comparing Mr. Ingram's coloured sketch with a good 

 example of the Perdix montana of Brisson {Orn., I., p. 224), 

 killed a iew years ago in Norfolk, it appears certainly to re- 

 present an immature but faded example of that variety. This 

 singular race or breed seems to be best described as an 

 erythrism, or abnormal replacement of the natural colours by 

 red."] 



THE AVERAGE WEIGHT OF SNIPE. 

 The average weight of ninety Snipe shot in Shetland, as 

 given on p. 267, Vol. II., seems to suggest that they must 

 have been specially selected specimens, or at least secured 

 during a specially favourable season. It would have been 

 interesting had you given the date and time of year when the 

 ninety 5*78 oz. Snipe were secured in Shetland. Most careful 

 and accurate statistics, taken by a friend of mine in Orkney 

 during September, October, and November, 1908, work out at 

 4T5 oz. for 1679 Common, and 224 oz. for 328 Jack Snipe. 



Maurice C. H. Bird. 



[The weights given by Mr. Haldane were quoted because 

 they were above the usually accepted average. Saunders 

 {Manual, p. 574) gives the average weight of the Common 

 Snipe as 4 ozs. : Mr. Harting {Handbook, p. 200) 4 to 4 J ozs. 

 In the note quoted Mr. Haldane suggests that the heavy 

 weight of the Shetland Snipe and Woodcock might be due 

 to the fact that food is always plentiful, and that the weather 

 is usually open. In reply to the Rev. Bird's questions, Mr. 

 Haldane kindly writes that he has re-read his note in the 

 " Annals," and agrees v\^ith all he there stated. As corrobora- 

 tion he gives the following weights, taken at random from his 

 diary:—" Dec. 22, 1904, 4 Snipe, 6i, 6J, 6, 7 ozs. One day 

 in December three Snipe, 6, 7, 7 ozs. Dec. 27, 1901, eleven 

 Woodcock weighed an average of 13*6 ozs., the lightest being 

 12 and the heaviest 16^ ozs." Mr. Haldane adds : — " About 

 the end of November and December they seem to attain their 

 greatest weight. I never pick birds, but have them weighed 

 as they come in. I know nothing about Orkney. The two 

 groups of islands are quite unlike." — Eds.] 



