A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 355 



There has been considerable discussion in the pages of" Stray 

 Feathers'^ about the differences between the Common and Pin- 

 tailed Snipes. 1 had an excellent opportunity of observing both 

 those species in the Nepal Valley, and may here be permitted 

 to make a few observations on what has been written by Capts. 

 Marshall and Butler, Mr. Cripps, Mr. Parker and Mr." Hume. 

 In the first place, I woiild say that my observations most 

 thoroughly confirm every word that has been written by Mr. 

 Hume on the distinctions of these two species. The same sexes 

 being compared, gallinaria has always a longer bill than sthenura ; 

 the latter species has also the tarsus shorter and stouter, the 

 mid-toe averages 0-1 shorter, and the colours of the upper parts 

 are more dull and contrast less (and by this character alone I 

 have often separated the two species in abag, without examining 

 any otlaer point.) The barring of the under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries is a most constant character, and is, perhaps, the best 

 point by which the Pintail may be discriminated from the Com- 

 mon Snipe ; for, as I have above shown, the narrow lateral tail 

 feathers are sometimes so rudimentary that they may be easily 

 overlooked. I would suggest that some of the specimens con- 

 sidered by Messrs. Marshall and Butler to be scolopacina may 

 possibly have been Pintails in which the modified tail feathers 

 were not grown ; and this would explain their view that the 

 under-wing coverts and axillaries were often as strongly barred 

 in one species as in the other. As to the size of the two species 

 there is clearly very little difference : the expanse and length of 

 wing are the same; five specimens of sthenura weighed from 3 3 

 to 4 ozs., and four specimens of scolopacina had precisely the 

 same weight, «.e., 3-3 to 4 ozs. But scolopacina has the total 

 length, 0-2 to 0-4 ; the tail, 0-3 to 0-4 ; the tarsus, '07 to "05 ; and 

 the bill, 0-4 to 0-5 longer than in sthenura, sex for sex ; and so 

 far Jerdon's statement about sthenura " of slightly smaller size 

 than the Common Snipe," is fairly borne out. ° 



871.— G-allinago gallinaria, Gm. 



Six ma/es.— Length, 10-3 to IM ; expanse, 16-3 to 17'2- 

 wing, 4-9 to 5-4; tail, 2-5 to 3-9 ; tarsus, 1-25 to 1-3 ; bill from 

 gape, 2-6 to 2-67 ; bill at front, 2 55 to 2-65. 



I^ine females.— Length, lO'S to ll'S; expanse, 16-5 to 17-5 • 

 wing, 5-0 to 5-5 ; tail, 2-5 to 3-0 ; tarsus, 1'3 to 1-32 ; bill from 

 gape, 2-63 to 2-9 ; bill at front, 27 to 30. 



Weight of four specimens (males and females) 3*3 to 4 ozs. 



The Common Snipe arrives in the valley of Nepal about the 

 1st of September and retires early in May. Although it may 

 be shot in the valley in any month between the dates above 

 indicated, it is most numerous on its migrations, being more 



