472 



SCOLOPAX. 



common ancestor, found alike in migratory and in resident species, whether the}' live in 

 forests or on open swamps. 



* * N. 



New-Zealand Semi- Woodcock. 



Literature. 



SCOLOPAX AUCKLANDICA. 



AUCKLAND SNIPE. 



-Diagnosis. Scolopax tibiis fere omnino vestitis : magnitudine parva (alse circ. 100 millim.) : abrlomine fulvo. 



Variations. The alleged variations of this species do not appear to have any geographical significance, 

 but apply only to age. 



Synonymy. Gallinago aucklandica, Gray, Voy. Ertb. and Terr., Birds, p. 13 [1846). 



Scolopax holmesi, Peale, U. S. Expl. Exp. 1838-181-2, viii. p. 229 (1848). 

 Ccenocorypha aucklandica (Gray), Gray, Cat. Gen. and Subgen. Birds, p. 119 (1855). 

 Scolopax aucklandica (Gray), Cassin, Zoo!. U. Slates Exploring Exp. 1838—12, Birds, p. 311 



(1858). 

 Gallinago pnsilla, Butler, Ibis, 1869, p. 41. 



Plates. — Gray, Voy. Ereb. and Terr., Birds, pi. 13. 

 Habits. — Travers, Trans. New Zealand Inst. v. p. 217. 

 Eggs. — Unknown. 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



The Auckland Snipe, with a length of wing of about 4^ inches, is distinguished by its 

 small size from all the other species except from S. gallinula and S. andina. As both 

 these species have white bellies, the character of underparts buff with darker markings on 

 the breast and flanks completes the diagnosis. 



The Auckland Snipe has occurred on the Snares Islands, about 150 miles south of 

 New Zealand (Hiigel, Ibis, 1875, p. 391), on Auckland Island, 150 miles further south 

 (Gray, Zool. Erebus and Terror, Birds, p. 13), and on the Chatham Islands, about 300 

 miles to the east (Travers, Trans. New Zealand Inst. v. p. 217; Hutton, Ibis, 1S72, 

 p. 247). Buller says that Capt. Hutton and Mr. Kirk have recorded its occurrence in the 





