260 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



The following key is one which should suffice to enable any one 

 to distinguish the various Snipes and the distinguishing measure- 

 ments given in it allow for an ample margin on either side. Thus 

 it will be found that whereas the Jacksnipes bill rarely exceeds 

 1-8, that of the other Snipes will but seldom be found under 2*2 

 and that, probably, only in birds of the first year. 



KEY TO SPECIES OF GALLINAGO. 



A. — A pale median band on crown, bill exceeding 2". 



a. Wing exceeding 6", borders of scapulars white, solitaria. 



b. Wing under 6", borders of scapulars buff or 

 rufous buff. 



a~ Distance between tip of shortest secondary 



and that of longest primary not exceeding 2". nemoricola. 



h 2 Distance between tip of shortest secondary 



and that of longest primary exceeding 2". 



a? Outer tail feathers narrow and stiff, under 



•3" broad. 



a 4 Tail feathers 26 in number, the 8 outer 



on each side less than -2" broad ... stenura. 

 b' 1 Tail feathers 20 in number, the 6 outer 



on each side less than -3" broad ... megala. 

 /> :! Outer tail feathers not exceptionally nar- 

 row or stiff. 

 a 5 Three outer tail feathers not pure white 

 and marked with dusky spots and 

 bars ... ... ... ... ... coelestis. 



b° Three outer tail feathers pure white 



unmarked ... ... ... ... major. 



B. — No pale median band on crown, bill always less 



than 2" ... ... ... ... ... ... gallinula. 



Gallinago solitaria. 



The Eastern Solitary Snipe. 



Gallinago solitaria.— Hodg. Gleanings in Science, iii, p. 238, 



(1831); id. J. A. S. Bengal, vi, p. 491; Blyth, Cat., p. 272; 



Jerdon, B. of I., iii, p. 673 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. Bengal, xxxvii, 



pt. 2, p. 70 ; Blanford, ibid, xli, p. 73 ; Hume and Hender, Ladak 



