SCOLOPAX. 



501 



This species varies considerably in the length of the bill, but apparently irrespective of Variations, 

 geographical distribution. 



Gallinago nigripennis, Bonap. Icon. Fauna ItaL, Ucc. text to pi. 43, p. 4 (1832). 

 Scolopax elegans, Desjardin, Proc. Zool. Sue. 1835, p. 201. 



Gallinago aequatorialis, Ruppell, Syst. Uebers. Vbg. Nord-Ost- Africa's, p. 123 (1845). 

 Gallinago atripennis, Bonap. fide Hartlaub, Orn. Westafrica 's , p. 239 (1857). 

 Gallinago angolensis, Bocage, Jorn. Sc. math., phys. e nat. Lisb. ii. p. 49 (1868). 

 Telmatias aequatorialis (Riipp.), Heuglin, Peterm. Geogr. Mitth. 1869, p. 417. 

 Scolopax aequatorialis (Riipp.), Seebohm, Ibis, 1886, p. 136. 



Synonym J-. 



Plates. — Unfigured. 



Habits. — Sharpe, Layard's Birds of South Africa, p. 676. 



Eggs, in my collection, obtained by Ayres in the Transvaal, resemble exceptionally large eggs 

 of the Common Snipe. 



Literature. 



Specific 

 characters. 



The Ethiopian Snipe may fairly claim to be regarded as the handsomest species of the 

 genus, on the ground of the clear definition of its markings, and the velvety gloss of the 

 black on its upper parts. The pure white ground-colour of the four outer tail-feathers on 

 each side distinguishes it from all the other species of the genus except from the Great Snipe 

 (8. major). From that species it is most easily distinguished by its median wing-coverts, 

 which are narrowly tipped with buff, instead of broadly tipped with white. Both have 

 sixteen tail-feathers, "the outer tail-feather measures - 2 inch across, each succeeding feather 

 increasing in width until the fourth measures "3 inch. The European species has a shorter 

 bill and longer primaries than the African : — 



8. major. Bill 2 - 3 to 2 - 8 inch. First primary # 5 inch longer than the fourth. 



8. (Bquatorialis. Bill 2"8 to 3 - 2 inch. First primary *3 inch longer than the fourth. 



The Ethiopian Snipe inhabits Africa south of the Sahara from Abyssinia to the Cape, 

 and is recorded from Damara Land, Benguela, Angola, and Senegambia. It is found in 

 the Cape Colony, Natal, and the Transvaal. 



It is difficult to determine the relative importance of the slight characters upon which Nearest 

 the various species of Snipe are founded. The Ethiopian Snipe (8. cequatorialis) resembles 

 the Great Snipe (8. major) in the white tips of its secondaries and in the great amount of 

 white on its outer tail-feathers. It resembles the Common Snipe (8. gallinago) in the 

 white outer web of its first primary and in the frequent predominance of white on its 

 axillaries. It appears to be very closely related to the Chilian Snipe [8. chilensis), with 

 which it agrees in size and colour. Its wing is much more rounded than that of the 

 Common Snipe, and slightly more so than that of the Chilian Snipe. 



It seems probable that the Snipes enjoy a remarkable immunity from persecution in 

 consequence of their semi-nocturnal habits, which have saved them to a large extent from 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



allies. 



