639 



rapidly in numbers; and this decrease is perceptible both in its breeding-haunts and in the 

 places which it frequents during passage. This circumstance is also remarked by Mr. Lindblad, 

 who says that in Sweden it is far less numerous now than it used to be. Thirty or forty years 

 ago it used to be exceedingly numerous in Upsala, so much so that in a couple of days in the 

 autumn from 500 to 600 would be observed, whereas now one tenth of that number would be 

 considered many. The only season of later years when it was very numerous was in 1847, when 

 in less than one week about 500 were shot in the Kungsang (king's meadow) at Upsala. This 

 seems to be also the case in Northern Eussia; for one of our leading Russian merchants, 

 Mr. D. T. Morgan, assures me that about forty years ago when he was in North Eussia he has 

 known upwards of forty pounds weight of Double Snipe killed in one day near Archangel, where 

 now this species, though not rare, is by no means so numerous. 



The specimen figured is an adult male from Schleswig, in full breeding-dress, and is in my 

 own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, cJ . Schleswig, May 1867. b, c, d, 3 . Boel, Jutland, snared on the drumming-place, e, f,ff,2- Boel, sent 

 with eggs (A. Benzon). h,juv. Skara, Sweden, July 19th, 1870 (Meves). i, 3. St. Petersburg (Dode). 

 k, pull. Zastowa, Archangel, 1874 (Piottuch). I. Alexandria (S. Stafford Allen). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a, $ ad. Skara, June 22nd {Meves) . b, 6 , c, ? . Naples, April 1871 {Professor Doderlein) . d, 6 . Valencia, 

 October 9th, 1875 {R. Martin) . 



E Mus. C. A. Wright. 



a. Malta, b, 6 . Malta, March 30th, 1864 (C. A. W.). 



