SCOLOPAX. 



491 



southern slope of Chimborazo, about 14,000 feet above the sea (Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1860, p. 82), and by Buckley on the eastern slope of the main chain of the Andes in 

 Bolivia (Sclater & Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, p. 641), and again recently by Stolzmann 

 near the original locality (Taczanowski, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1885, p. 112). There can be 

 little doubt that it occurs in Peru ; it has not actually been procured in that country, but 

 Jelski recognized its note (Tacz. Orn. Perou, iii. p. 376). 



SCOLOPAX IMPERIALIS. 



IMPERIAL SNIPE. 



Scolopax tibiis fere omnino vestitis : rectricum tribus externis non fasciatis : magnitudine magna Diagnosis, 

 (alse circa 150 milUm.). 



Only one example of this species is known. 



Variations. 



Gallinago imperialis, Sclater §■ Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 419. 

 Scolopax imperialis (Scl. fy Salv.), Seebohm, Ibis, 1886, p. 130. 



Synonymy. 



Plates. — Sclater & Salvin, Exotic Orn. pi. xcvii. 

 Habits. — Undescribed. 

 Eggs. — Unknown. 



Literature. 



Specific 

 characters. 



The Imperial Snipe is only known from a single skin, said to have been obtained Geographi- 

 in the interior of New Granada, which looks like a rufous phase of the last-mentioned tion. 

 species, adjoining the limits of whose range it was found. The fact that the tarsus 

 measures only 1*4 instead of 15 inch, and that the three outer tail-feathers (which are 

 all that are left on the unique example in the collection of Messrs. Salvin and Godman) 

 are plain broivn without any bars, apparently indicate that it is a good species. It may be 

 diagnosed from its near ally, as well as from all other species of the genus, by the 

 ground-colour of its upper parts, which is rich chestnut. It may also be diagnosed from 

 all other known species of Scolopax by the great breadth of its wings. The outermost 

 secondary extends about two inches beyond the longest primary-covert, nearly twice as 

 much as in any other species of the group. 



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