34,6 



LIMICOLjE. 



351. SCOLOPAX GALLINAGO. 



(COMMON SNIPE.) 

 Seolopax gallinago, Linneus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 244 (1766).- 



The Common Snipe is a medium-sized bird (wing from carpal 

 joint about 5 inches) . It has 14 tail-feathers, of which none are less 

 than "4 inch broad. 



Figures : Dresser, Birds of Europe, vii.pls. 542, 543. 



, ^"- 



Scohpax galhnago. 



The Common Snipe is abundant in Japan, but I can find no 

 evidence that it breeds there. It has occurred on the Kurile Islands 

 (Blakiston and Pryer, Trans. As. Soc. Japan, 1882, p. 114); there 

 are three examples in the Swinhoe collection from Hakodadi 

 (Swinhoe, Ibis, 1874, p. 163); and eight in the Pryer collection 

 from Yokohama, whence I have also four examples collected by Mr. 

 Snow in September, January, and April. The examples obtained by 

 the Siebold Expedition were doubtless procured near Nagasaki 

 (Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves, p. 112). 



The Common Snipe is a circumpolar bird, but American examples 

 differ from those of the Old World. It breeds in the British Islands. 



