NOS.4&5.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 127 



separate the species, though the adults are easily named, 

 in whatever plumage they may be. We would point out 

 that all these seem to pass through the same immature stages, 

 though some of the adults differ very appreciably. Con- 

 sequently we have here a natural series, and to this series 

 belongs the Godwit forms. The Curlews have also young 

 of this style, and their relationship with this group is in- 

 disputable, while it wiU be remembered that the eggs of the 

 Grodwits verj^ closely resemble those of the Curlews. However, 

 the item to be dealt with is the status of the Woodcock. In 

 external features, as in internal, it disagrees very remarkably 

 from aU the others, while its egg coloration is distinct, so 

 that we have now to examine the downy nesthng and see 

 what this shows. At first sight it is obviously no relation 

 to the true Snipes, as Mathews has already decisively proved, 

 and the resemblance is to the preceding. It differs in its 

 leg formation which is quite unhke that of the Snipe or Red- 

 shank series. We must, therefore, relegate the Woodcock to 

 a group apart, and then we have to deal with its suggested 

 relatives. Mathews discussed these in detail, pointing out 

 the features whereby they could be recognised as differing 

 in their sources from the superficial features alone. We 

 refer to the group Seebohm christened Semi- Woodcocks, and 

 which included two distinct series, one related to Snipes, 

 the other to the Woodcock. Lowe has somewhat confused 

 the issue by using the term Semi- Woodcocks for both series 

 indiscriminately ; so that we now propose to restrict the 

 name Semi-Woodcocks to those of Rusticoline alhance, and 

 coin the name Semi-Snipes for those showing GaUinagine 

 derivation. 



We are confronted with the recognition of a fourth sub- 

 family or the transference of the GaUinagine forms to the 

 Dunlin grouping. We can see superficial features that 

 would allow of a subfamily separation of the Snipe from the 

 latter, but the pecuhar nesthng seems to compel their asso- 

 ciation, and as we have previously intimated, the present 

 rearrangement is simply an improvement upon those already 

 proposed, but is not regarded as final. 



