24 MR. p. H. BAHR ON THE [Jan. 15, 



be the essential factor in producing the bleat, in that they hold 

 the stiff rami together like the strings of a harp. They are 

 seven or eight in number, a number in excess of any other 

 species of Snipe, and are well-formed, possessing a well-hooked 

 terminal portion, which interlocks with the upturned edge of the 

 radii of the proximal row (text-fig. 7, A. & D). The outer web is 

 formed of stifi" rami, which possess rudimentary radii unprovided 

 with booklets. 



Of the remaining feathers, the sixth pair most nearly approaches 

 our type feather in structure (text-fig. 6, A). The shaft is, however, 

 not so strong, the outer web is broader, the inner nari-ower, and 

 the rami are not so long, nor do they form such an acute angle 

 with the stem (text-fig. 6, A). The hamuli are five in number and 

 not so well-formed, and, as I have said before, the sound produced 

 by the vibration of the inner web of these feathers cannot compare 

 in intensity with that produced by the outer pair. Thus the 

 outer web becomes gradually broader, the inner gradually 

 narrower as we reach the central tail-feathers (text-fig. 6, A), and 

 the rami become progressively weaker, the hamuli fewer in 

 number. Thus the distal radius of the middle tail-feathers 

 possesses but four feebly cm-ved hamuli (text-fig. 7, E). 



I have examined the tail of this species during the moult. On 

 the 17th of August, 1906, I received several from Scotland, just 

 at the beginning of the moult. The outer tail-feathers, I find, 

 have lost much of their bleating power and the note produced is 

 not so intense. On microscopical examination I find the cilia 

 (text-fig. 7, C) have all been worn away. From this I infer that 

 the cilia play a certain j^art in the production of the sound. 

 From the 17th August to the 6th September I received 

 many tails in which the new feathers wei-e just growing, and I 

 find that in every case the outer tail-feather (the soporous instru- 

 ment) is the last to be assumed. The newly assumed feather 

 possesses full bleating powers. I have also examined feathers 

 from young birds of the year directly they have assumed their 

 full plumage ; these, I find, will bleat as well as those of a fully 

 adult bird, and possess the normal structure and characteristic 

 number of hamuli. 



One variety of G. ccelestis still remains to be mentioned, i. e. 

 Gallinago raddii (Buturlin), which is the eastern repi'esentative 

 of our species and is much lightei- in coloui-. With characteristic 

 kindness, Mr. Butui'lin has sent me skius of this and several other 

 species from the Kolyma Delta in Siberia (69° 4' 20" N. and 

 160° 55" E.), accompanied by most valuable notes, for which I am 

 deeply indebted. The feathers of the tail, of which I have figured 

 a specimen (text-fig. 4, 4), behave in the same way as those of our 

 species. 



Examination of the Tail of other Species 0/ Gallinago, 



Gallinago delicata, or Wilson's Snipe, of N. America, difl^ers 

 in the eyes of some materially from G. ccelesiis in possessing 



