NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF UPPER ASSAM, 729 



this evening*agamst the forest. A woodcock came saOing down from the 

 hills at no great height from the ground and settled in the garden ; it had 

 been a cold dreary day and it was too late to institute a search. 



411. Gallinago gallinago gallinago (L.) [1484]. — The Common Snipe. 



Qallinago ccelestis, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iv., p. 286. 



Rungagora, January, March, April, 6-4-02* ; Bhimpoora '■ bhil ", 

 Gogaldhubie, December, Janiiary ; Dejoo, 20-8-10*, a siogle bird flushed 

 from low-lying ground in garden. 



Dhoolohat, 12-3-11*, eight put up in the garden at mid-day from one 

 quarter; Silonibari, 25-4-11*, a single bird ; 7-9-11 *, 13-9-11*, four large 

 Snipe disturbed time 7-40 a.m. These observation records refer to this 

 Snipe or Gallinago stenuva. As no birds were secured it is of course impossi- 

 ble to say with certainty which species. At Bhimpoora "bhil" on hot days 

 these birds could almost be knocked over with a stick so lazily do they 

 rise and in such plentiful numbers although, owing to the swampy nature 

 of the ground, they are ahnost ungetable. The Jack-snipe Limnocryp- 

 tes gallinula has been reported to me on a few occasions. None have 

 been personally obtained. 



412. Gallinago stenura (Bp.) [1485]. — Pin-tailed Snipe. 



Dejoo, 28 — 29-8-05, $ $ first arrival of half a dozen birds on the 

 maidan in bad wet weather. 



R. Dibrn, 13 — 16-3-03, several secured. Numerous records for interme- 

 diate dates; occurs in the stcny beds of the hill rivers more frequently than 

 G. gallinago. 



Iris dark brown ; bill brown, black at tip of both mandibles ; tarsus 

 bluish slate ; claws black. 



413. Rostratula capensis (L.) [1488]. — The Painted Snipe. 



Resident ; as a breeding species at the base of hills in North Lakhimpur. 



D9J00, North Lakhimpur, 13-6-10, this afternoon during a shower of 

 rain a pair of Painted Snipe passed over the road and settled in a 

 ''hoolah" on one side. Eggs taken in this quarter in a slight depression 

 on the ground, 24-6-10, clutch of three, 4-7-10, clutch of two, in both cases 

 incubation fresh ; Silonibari, 27-7-10, youngster secured. 



414. Larus ichthyaetus, Pall. [1489]. — The Great Black-headed Gull. 

 Joyhing, Runganuddie, 12-3-05, three adtilts in summer plumage, one 



S and $ secured. Iris dark brown ; orbital ring waxy crimson ; bill deep 

 yellow orange, latter half with a transverse black mark across both m.an- 

 dibles ; tarsus dirty chrome yellow. 



415. Larus brunneicephahis, Jerd. [1491]. — The Brown-headed Gull. 

 Commonly occurs on the Bramapootra. 



416. Ste7-na seena, Sykes. [1503]. — The Indian River Tern. 



Occurs on both the rivers and large "bhils" although absent from the 

 sluggish rivers in the forest tracts. Nests on the Subansiri at Hessamara 

 where eggs have been taken. 



417. Sterna melanogaster, Temm. [1504].— The Black-bellied Tern. 

 Similarly distributed as S. seena. Bhimpoora bhil, Gogaldhubie, 15-1-05, 6 



17-12-05, 5 , have the crown and breast to lower tail coverts black. _ 6 

 15-1-05, has the crown streaked with black and the lower parts white which 

 cases do not agree with Hume who states "the winter plumage is not assumed 

 to December, and is then only retained for about two months," at least so 

 far as these localities are concerned. Eggs taken at Hessamara on the 

 Subansiri. 

 18 



