456 



EHTNCH^A. 



gradually extended its range westwards until it overrun the whole of tropical Africa. The 

 African Painted Snipes are now, to a large extent, isolated from their Indian brethren ; but 

 as they do not appear to have become in any way differentiated from them, we may 

 reasonably infer that they are the descendants of post-glacial emigrants who have not yet 

 been subjected to the abnormal pressure of population, which must intensify the struggle 

 for existence, and enormously increase the rapidity of the action of the law of Evolution. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Only three species are known, which may be distinguished as follows 



Only two buff patches on 

 outer web of the 8th 

 primary. 



capensis ■ 

 australis ■ 

 semicollaris. 



1 



Length of wing about 5 inches. 



J Tail nearly even. 



There can scarcely be any doubt that the affinities of Rhynchcea are with Scolopax. 

 The pale mesial Hne on the crown and the two pale stripes on the back can scarcely have 

 been independently acquired, and were doubtless inherited from a common ancestor, 

 showing how important certain arrangements of colour sometimes are as generic characters, 

 in many cases dating far earlier than the so-called structural characters. 



Diagnosis. 



RHYNCH^A CAPENSIS. 



PAINTUD SNIPE. 



Hhynch^a magnitudine magna (alse circa 125 millim.) : cauda fere Integra: primaria octave 

 pogonio externo quatuor maculis fulvis ornato. 



YariatiouB. I HAVE been unable to detect the slightest difference between examples from South Africa, 

 India, and China. 



