Family CHARADRIID.^i. Genus Scolopax. 



Subfamily Scolopacinm. 



JACK SNIPE. 



SCOLOPAX GALLINULA— Z/,7«««j. 



Geographical Distribution.— ^^/V«^ .• Common winter 

 visitor locally distributed throughout the British Islands, in- 

 cluding the Orkneys, the Shetlands, and the Hebrides. Owing 

 to the fact of odd birds having been met with in early summer, it 

 has been surmised that the Jack Snipe may occasionally breed 

 within our Hmits, but there is no decided evidence whatever that 

 such is ever the case. Foreign . Northern Palsearctic region ; 

 southern Patearctic region and Oriental region in winter. Breeds 

 locally above the limits of forest growth, on the Dovrefjeld and 

 the tundras of Lapland, and in Western Russia as far south as 

 St. Petersburg. In Asia it appears to breed as far north as about 

 lat. 70°, and probably as far south as lat. 60°. Passes Europe, 

 south of the above limits, on migration, and winters in the basin 

 of the Mediterranean, in North Africa as far south as the Great 

 Desert, and is said to penetrate down the Nile valley to Abyssinia. 

 The birds breeding in Asia are known to pass South-west Siberia, 

 Turkestan, and less frequently Japan on migration ; and probably 

 cross other central districts, though as yet undetected, and winter 

 in Persia, Afghanistan, India, Ceylon, and Burma. 



Allied Forms. — None of sufficient propinquity to call for 

 notice. 



Time during which the Jack Snipe may be taken.— 

 August ist to March ist (to March 15th in Essex). 



Habits. — A few Jack Snipes make their appearance in our 

 islands during the latter half of September, but the great bulk of 

 birds arrive in October and the beginning of November. The 



