1901.] 



COMMON AND JACK SNIPES. 



597 



Common Snipe is a distinguishing feature, but one which is well 

 known : also the fact that in both birds, as in many Limicoline 

 types (e. g. Scolopax^ Tringa), the extremities of the premaxillaries 

 and dentary bones are covered with a honeycomb-like reticulation 

 of the sui'face of the bone in correspondence with a pitting of the 

 horny beak. This is rather more developed in G. ccelestis than in 

 G. gallinula ; the pitting extends farther back in the former species^. 

 The chief diffei'ence between the two Snipes obseiwable on the 

 dorsal aspect of the skull concerns the nasal bones. Both are of 

 course schizorhinal ; but while G. ccelestis is typically so, the 

 space between the two parts of that bone gradually diminishing to 

 a mere chink, G. gallinula shows the same " attempt " at holorhiny 

 which occurs in BhyncJtcea, Hydrophasianus, and some other 

 Limicoline birds ". 



Text-fig. 64. 



Text-fig. 65. 



F.M. 



Text-fig. 64. — Base of the skull of the Common Snipe {Gallinago calestis). X 3. 



F.M., foramen magnum. 

 Text-fig. 6.5. — Ease of the skull of the Jack Snipe {Gallinago gallinula). X 3. 



F.M., foramen magnum. 



(3n the under surface of the skull two structural features can 



* Beyond the symphysis in the lower jaw. 



- This fact, of course, lessens the value of the character as a point of 

 difiereuce between Ehynchcea and its supposed allies Gallinago and Scolopax. 

 See my paper upon the first-named bird, P. Z. S. 1901, vol. ii. p. 592, where 

 this structural peculiarity is further referred to. 



