GALLINAaO. 393 



Carlos and Rio Escondido {Richmond^) ; Costa Eica {v. Frantzius^^^^, Endres^% 

 Blewfields {Wickham^^), San Jose {Zeledon^, Cheirie^''); Panama (M'Lean- 

 nan^^^% Divalai^, Chitra^a (^rc^—SouTH Amekica to Brazil i^; West 

 Indies ^^. 



Wilson's Snipe represents the Common Snipe of Europe {G. coelestis) in the New 

 World, but is distinguished by having sixteen tail-feathers and regularly barred axillaries. 

 It breeds in the United States from about 42° N. lat. to Alaska and in the Subarctic 

 Regions of North America, migrating southward in autumn. From the dates given 

 by various observers in Central America this bird seems to be somewhat irregular in 

 its time of arrival ; and this may be accounted for by the mildness or severity of 

 the season, the cold weather driving the birds southward to their winter home. Jouy 

 records G. delicata &s "common in Central Mexico in suitable places along marshy 

 banks of streams in winter," and at the Hacienda Angostura in San Luis Potosi he met 

 with it on the 8th of December. Two birds were observed at noondav on a mossv 

 bank, side by side, with their long bills tucked under their wings ^. Grayson states 

 that it arrives at Mazatlan in December, and is distributed in small numbers throughout 

 the country, but not in sufficient quantity to make it worthy of the sportsman's 

 attention. The bulk of individuals on migration pass further south, and he mentions 

 that the species disappears in May, when it doubtless proceeds to its northern breeding- 

 grounds 2^. Cavendish Taylor saw two or three of these birds near Comayagua in 

 Honduras, and believed that they were common during the rainy season 2^. 



Salvin's note on the species in Guatemala is as follows : — " This seems to be the 

 common Snipe of Guatemala, and, like the rest of its genus, frequents the swampy 

 spots, and especially the pools formed during the rainy season. It is very abundant 

 in the months of October and November about the plateau on which the city of 

 Guatemala stands. At Duenas it occurs in considerable numbers in February and 

 March about the narrow belt of swampy land that surrounds the lake on nearly all 

 sides. When put up, they seldom fly far, but alight again 50 or 100 yards off. They 

 are by no means shy, but admit of one approaching to within easy shooting-distance 

 before taking wing " ^^. 



Mr. Richmond observes that he first noticed Wilson's Snipe at San Carlos, in 

 Nicaragua, on the 16th of October; it was common at the same place in February, 

 and was exceedingly abundant at " Magnolia Plantation," on the Escondido River, in 

 November and December s. In Costa Rica Mr. Cherrie observed this bird from 

 October 1st to February 16th, when it was not uncommon near San Jose^'^. The 

 species passes by the West-Indian Islands also to South America, where it winters as 

 far south as Rio de Janeiro. 



G. delicata is a typical Snipe in its habits, frequenting marshes and banks of 

 rivers and feeding on worms, &c. The nest is a depression in the ground or is 



BIOL, centk.-amee., Aves, Vol., III., Novembet^ 1903. 50 



