THE PAINTED SNIPE 
Rhynchoea capensis 
Head and neck a rich red-brown, darkest on the lower 
neck or breast ; dark streak through eye; buff marking from 
beak to top of head; back a changing brown with purple 
and green reflections on the wing, barred with darker mark- 
ings ; the large wing-feathers have rows of bright buff spots 
on their outer margins; rump a dark slaty grey with darker 
wavy bars; buff stripes on shoulders; legs greenish; beak 
reddish-brown ; eyes brown. Length, 9:3 inches. 
Tus name is unfortunate, for some people seem to 
imagine that the bird will be found to have paint on 
it, like a painted Sparrow! Though a handsomely 
marked bird, those who have shot much say that as 
a sporting bird it is not to be compared with the 
common Snipe, as it rises slowly, it does not twist 
or zig-zag about, and is content with a very short 
flight. It is a resident bird, and breeds in May in 
Lower Egypt. I met with it at Lake Menzaleh 
when there in April, and it possibly is more common 
throughout the country than is imagined, as it lies 
very close in cover, and rarely shows itself unless 
compelled to by being almost trodden upon. 
128 
