472 



SCOLOPAX. 



common ancesfor, found alike in migratory and in resident species, whether they live in 

 forests or on open swamps. 



*^* Neio-Zealand Semi-IJoodcock. 



SCOLOPAX AUCKLANDICA. 



AUCKLAND SNIPR 



Diagnosis. Scolopax tibiis fere omiiiuo vestitis : magnitudine parva (alse circ. 100 millim.) : abdotnine fulvo. 



Vaiiatior.s. The alleged variations of this species do not appear to have any geographical significance, 

 but apply only to age. 



Synonymy. Gallinago aucklandica, Gray, Voy. Ereb. and Terr., Birds, p. 13 ^1846). 



Scolopax holmesi. Peak, U. S. Expl. Exp. 1838-184-2, viii. p. 229 (1848). 

 Coenocorypha aucklandica [Gray), Gray, Cat. Gen. and Subgen. Birds, p. 119 (1855). 

 Scolopax aucklandica [Gray], Cassin, Zool. U. States Exploring Exp. 1838-42, Birds, p. 311 



(1858). 

 Gallinago pusilla, Butler, Ibis, 1869, p. 41. 



Literature. 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribi! 

 tion. 



Plates. — Gray, Voy. Ereb. and Terr., Birds, pi. 13. 

 Habits. — Travers, Trans. New Zealand lust. v. p. 217. 

 Eggs. — Unknown. 



The Auckland Snipe, with a lenf^th of wing of about 4| inches, is distinguished by its 

 small size from all the other species except from S. gallinula and 8. andina. As botli 

 these species have white bellies, the character of underparts huff with darker markings on 

 the breast and flanks completes the diagnosis. 



The Auckland Snipe has occurred on the Snares Islands, about 150 miles south of 

 New Zealand (Hligel, Ibis, 1875, p. 391), on Auckland Island, 1 60 miles further south 

 (Gray, Zool. Erebus and Terror, Birds, p. 13), and on the Chatham Islands, about 300 

 miles to the east (Travers, Trans. New Zealand Inst. v. p. 217 j Hutton, Ibis, 1872, 

 p. 247). Buller says that Capt. Hutton and Mr. Kirk have recorded its occurrence in the 



