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



the whole appearance in this specimen is far darker than I have 



seen in any acralt bird. 



Sharpe does not differentiate between the male and female, but 



the average measurements of the British Museum birds, including 



both sexes, are bigger than those I have handled. In the former 



the wing is given as 5-7" and the culmen as 2 -65". 



The depth of the bill in those I have measured averages about 



•5", the heavy base being very conspicuous when compared with 



other Snipe. 



The sportsmen will generally be able i to recognise the Wood 



Snipe by its comparatively dark plumage and rather squat heavy 



shape and beak. 



"Length 11-0" to 12-5"; expanse 18" to 19-75"; wing 5-4" 



to 5-7" ; tail from vent 2-5" to 2-9" ; tarsus 1-41" to 1-49" ; bill 



from gape 2-41" to 2-62" ; weight 4-9" to 6-1" oz." (Hume). 

 Jerdon gives the weight as up to 7 oz. and Hodgson, amongst 



some 20 birds weighed, obtained one of 6- 75 oz. 



" The irides are hazel to deep brown ; the front of the legs 

 and toes are grey, sometimes, perhaps commonly, bluish, sometimes 

 more plumbeous or slaty and sometimes again with a drabby shade, 

 or again greenish, and generally everywhere paler in the female, 

 the back of the legs and soles fleshy, sometimes pinky, sometimes 

 bluish or dusky ; the claws horny brown to almost black ; of the 

 bill nearly the terminal one-third is brown to blackish brown ; the 

 basal two-thirds much paler and with a tinge sometimes reddish 

 fleshy, sometimes yellowish fleshy, sometimes livid, sometimes 

 drab" (Hume). 



Distribution. — Blanford thus defines the distribution of the Wood 

 Snipe within our limits, outside of which it has not yet been 

 obtained. " In the Himalayas as far as Dalhousie to the west- 

 ward and Sikkim to the east, and probably further in the latter 

 direction ; also in the hills south of Assam and in Manipur 

 occasionally in Burmah even as far south as Tenasserim, and as a 

 winter visitor only, in the hills of Southern India — Ooorg, Wynaad, 

 Nilgiris, Anaimalais, Shevroys and probably others. In one case 

 this species is said to have been recognised in Ceylon. A very 

 few specimens have been obtained whilst migrating, one at 



