THE PAINTED SNIPE 115 



and imparts a strongly mottled appearance to the upper surface. The 

 tail feathers number 18, and are tawny rufous, black at the base, and 

 tipped with white; outer feathers regularly barred; crown of head with 

 black band ou each side; chin white; chest mottled sandy brown; breast 

 and abdomen white. Total length 11.5 inches, oulmen 2.7, wing 6 5 

 tail 2.6, tarsus 1.85. ' ' 



Nest a very slight depression in marshy uplands. Four 

 eggs are laid, light-stone in colour and boldly marked with 

 brown blotches, especially on the larger end ; some look as if they 

 had been smudged. The eggs measure about 1.74 x 1.20 inch. 



The clutch in the author's collection was found on the 

 upland marshes of Mount Fujiyama. Strictly speaking, this 

 bird should be called the Japanese Snipe. They usually arrive 

 in Victoria about the latter part of August, leaving again about 

 the latter end of March. 



Genus Rostratida. 

 Hind toe present. Bill longer than tarsus. Tarsus as long 

 as mid toe. 



The Painted Snipe. 



Rostratula australis. 



Australia. 



The general colour above of the hen bird is kshy brown, glossed with 

 olive-green, the upper surface freckled all over with transverse blackish 

 lines and a few broader bars and a reddish streak down each side of 

 back; primary-coverts grey, freckled with irregular wavy lines of black; 

 lower back pearl grey, with black cross-lines; tail barred with ochre; the 

 sides of the face and throat sooty black; under surface white; on each 

 side of the upper breast is a black patch. The male is easily distinguished 

 from the female by the absence of chestnut on the throat and neck, and 

 by the wing-coverts being bronzy and olive, with numerous spots of 

 yellow-ochre. Total length 9.5 inches, culmen 1.7, wing 5.9, tail 1.8, 

 tarsus 1.7. 



Nest a slight depression in the ground lined with grass 

 and usually near a swamp, the four eggs are light-stone, boldly 

 marked with large blotches of very dark sepia and streaks. 

 They measure about 1.39 x 1.01 inch. 



These birds are rare and usually found in pairs, and resort 

 to dryer situations than the before-mentioned species. 



