GALLINAGO NEMOEICOLA. 



(THE WOOD-SNIPE.) 



Scolopax nemoricola, Hodgs. J. A. S. 1837, vi. p. 490 ; Jerdon, Cat. B. S. India, Madr. 



Journ. 1840, xii. no. 336; 111. Ind. Orn. pi. 9 (1847); Nevill, J. A. S. (Ceylon 



Branch), 1867—70, p. 138 (first record from Ceylon). 

 Nemoricola nvpalensis, Hodgs. J. A. S. 1837, vi. p. 491. 

 Gallinago nemoricola (Hodgs.), Blyth, Cat. B. Mas. A. S. B. p. 272 (1849); Jerdon, B. of 



Ind. iii. p. 072 (1864) ; Hoklsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 473 ; Legge, J. A. S. (Ceylon Branch), 



1873, pp. 67, 68; Hume, Str. Feath. 1878 (B. of Tenass.), p. 459; id. ibid. 1879 (List 



Ind. Birds), p. 112. 



Adult (Nepal : British Museum). Wing 5'6 to 5-8 inches ; tail 2-8; tarsus 1*4 to 1-6; bare tibia 0-3; bill to gape 

 2 - 6, at front 2'8; middle toe 1*5. 



Jerdon's data are : — "Length 12-5 to 130 inches ; wing 5'75, expanse 18-0 ; tail 25 ; bill at front 2-| ; tarsus 1-75. 

 Average weight 5| to 7 oz." 



The bill is high at the base in this species, and the tail has from 1G to 18 feathers. 



"Iris dusky brown ; bill reddish brown, paler at the base beneath ; legs plumbeous green." (Jerdon.) 



Head and nape shining brownish black, with only a partially developed central stripe; lores, front part of face, and 

 chin huffy white, with a broad black stripe from the gape to the eye ; a buff supercilium joining the white of the 

 lores, and spreading behind the black ear-coverts over the sides of the nape, where the feathers are mingled with 

 black; hind neck, interscapulars, and scapulars glossy brown-black ; outer side of most of the scapular and inter- 

 vening feathers with a broad rich buff margin and an oblique rufous-buff bar; wing-coverts and tertials dull 

 brown, barred with rufous-buff; primaries, their coverts, and the secondaries plain brown; the primary-coverts 

 tipped with whitish ; back and rump blackish brown, the feathers tipped with dusky buff : upper tail-coverts 

 rufous-buff, barred with brown; six central tail-feathers black at the base, with a rich rufous terminal band, 

 tipped paler and crossed with dark rays near the extremities; remaining feathers brown, barred with dull rufous 

 and pale tipped ; upper part of fore neck dark brown, the feathers margined with dusky buff, increasing on the 

 chest, and the brown portion gradually turning into bars ; all the under surface dull white, rather closely barred 

 with brown ; under wing-coverts brown, barred with white ; axillaries dark brown, narrowly barred with white. 



Obs. This line Snipe has no real resemblance to the last species ; but on account of its large size, ample wiugs, dark 

 plumage, short legs, and stout bill seems sometimes to be mistaken for the " Cock " in eastern parts by those who 

 are not familiar with the latter bird. On picking up the bird a momentary glance at the underpart of the wing 

 (which will no doubt catch the eye), on which no bars will be seen, will, together with the appearance of the legs, 

 which are bare for a little distance above the knee, at once distinguish it from the Woodcock. 



The only other large member of the genus in India is the Himalayan Solitary Snipe. It is about the same size as the 

 present species, but longer in the wing, pure white on the throat aud under surface, and has five stiff and narrow 

 feathers on each side of the tail; the primaries are tipped and edged outwardly with white, and the tertials are 

 barred with light rufous ; the bill is more slender, and the bird is shorter in the leg than the Wood-Snipe. A 

 Ni-palese example before me measures : — wing t> - 2 inches ; tail 2 - 8 ; tarsus 1*25 ; middle toe 1-3 ; bill to gape 2'7, 

 at front 2-8. 



Distribution. — This fine Snipe was first recorded as having occurred in Ceylon by Mr. Hugh Nevill, of 

 the Ceylon Civil Service, a gentleman who has devoted much attention to the ornithology of the island. He 

 gives no particulars as to season or date of its discovery, or by whom procured, but merely says that it is 

 found in " the country round Nuwara Eliya." It is possible that some of the accounts of the occurrence of 

 the Woodcock in this region which are from time to time given by sportsmen may have in reality referred to 

 this bird ; on the other hand it may be only a very rare straggler in the cool season from the Nilgliiris, which 

 hills it inhabits in fair numbers. It is to be presumed that the time of its occurrence at Nuwara Eliya was 

 during the cool season, for it cannot well be a resident in Ceylon. 



