146 COMMON SNIPE. 



back of the head; the portion of them which projected beyond the ordinary plumage were 

 of a white colour." 



The bill, which is two inches and three-quarters long, and straight, the lower mandible 

 about a tenth of an inch shorter than the upper one, is of a light brown, much darker 

 at the point; reddish at the base. Irides, nearly black; top of head, brown black, 

 mottled with pale yellow brown, and having a central streak of yellow brown running 

 from the forehead to the nape. From each nostril, running backwards over the eye. is 

 a broad stripe of yellow brown; and extending from the eye to the gape is a streak 

 of brown. Cheeks, yellow brown, mottled with darker brown; under each eye is a 

 crescentic band of brown, the convexity upwards; chin and upper throat, brownish or 

 yellowish white. Back and sides of neck, light yellowish brown, mottled with darker 

 brown, from the centre of each feather being dark; centre of back, rich black, slightly 

 mottled with light yellow brown; lower back, generally covered by the long tertials, is 

 brownish black, each feather edged with white. Scapulars and long tertials are black, 

 broadly edged with distinct light yellow brown; forming two light lines down the back 

 from the shoulders; lower neck and breast, grayish brown, each feather with a darker 

 spot in the centre; lower breast, abdomen, and vent, pure white; primaries, brown black. 

 The tail, which consists of fourteen feathers, is black, having a broad band of bright 

 ferruginous colour extending across the tip, in the two centre feathers about half an inch 

 wide, but gradually increasing to the sides, when it is nearly an inch in width; the 

 extreme tips are paler, and inside this is a narrow black band running across all the 

 feathers; the outer feathers are also mottled with ferruginous. Upper tail coverts, light 

 reddish or yellowish brown, narrowly barred with black in zigzag lines. Legs and feet, 

 greenish gray. 



The weight of the Snipe is from four to five ounces, but if very fat it will occasionally 

 exceed this weight. 



Extreme length, eleven inches and one-third. Expanse of wings, seventeen inches. 



The above description is taken from a fine specimen shot near York, just at the 

 commencement of the breeding-season. 



A variety of the Common Snipe has been described as a distinct species under the 

 name of Scolopax Brehmi; differing only in the comparative length of the tail feathers. 

 We cannot look upon these birds as anything but the Common Snipe. 



