WILSON'S SNIPE. 435 



GALLINAGO, Leach. 



Gattinago, 'Leach, Catal. British Birds (1816)." Gray. (Type Scolopax 

 major, L.) 



Lower portion of the tibia bare of feathers, scatellate before and behind, reticu- 

 lated laterally like the tarsi ; nail of hind toe slender, extending beyond the toe ; 

 bill depressed at the tip; middle toe longer than tarsus; tail with twelve to sixteen 

 feathers. 



The more slender body, longer legs, partly naked tibia, and other features, dis- 

 tinguish this genus from Scolopax or Phibhela. 



GALLINAGO WILSONII. — Bonaparte. 



The Snipe; Wilson's Snipe; English Snipe. 



Scolopax Wilsonii, Nuttall. Man., II. 185. Aud. Orn. Biog., III. (1836) 322, 

 V. (1839) 583. lb., Birds Amer., V. (1842) 339. 

 GaUinago Wilsonii, Bonaparte. List (1838). 

 Scolopax gallirmgo, Wilson. Am. Orn., YI. (1812) 18. Not of Linnaeus. 



Description. 



Bill long, compressed, flattened, and slightly expanded towards the tip, pustu- 

 lated in its terminal half; wings rather long; legs moderate; tail short; entire upper 

 parts brownish-black; every feather spotted and widely edged with light-rufous, 

 yellowish-brown, or ashy-white ; back and rump transversely barred and spotted 

 with the same ; a line from the base of the bill over the top of the head ; throat and 

 neck before, dull reddish-ashy; wing feather marked with dull brownish-black; 

 other under parts white, with transverse bars of brownish-black on the sides, axil- 

 lary feathers and under wing coverts and under tail coverts ; quills brownish-black ; 

 outer edge of first primary white ; tail glossy brownish-black, widely tipped with 

 bright-rufous, paler at the tip, and with a subterminal narrow band of black ; outer 

 feathers of tail paler, frequently nearly white, and barred with black throughout 

 their length; bill brown, yellowish at base, and darker towards the end; legs dark- 

 brown ; iris hazel. 



Total length, about ten and a half inches; wing, five; tail, two and a quarter; 

 bill, two and a half; tarsus, one and a quarter inch. 



Hob. — Entire temperate regions of North America; California (Mr. Szabo). 



The Wilson's Snipe, or the English Snipe as it is often, 

 though improperly called, is one of the most generally dis- 

 tributed of our waders, being found in almost every portion 

 of the Union at some period of the year. 



With us in the spring migrations the Snipe is as a rule 

 in rather poor condition, although I have occasionally shot 

 specimens that were as fat as the best autumn birds. 



