140 GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 



The only other true Wood-cocks are S. saturata, Horsfield, 

 from Java ; and S. minor, Gmelin, (Americana, Audub.) separated 

 by Bonaparte as Rusticola. 



Gen. Gallinago, Stephens. 



Char. — Tibia bare for a small space above the joint ; tail with 

 from 16 to 28 feathers, the outer ones often narrowed; otherwise 

 as in Scolopax. 



This genus comprises the various Snipes, which differ con- 

 siderably in the form and structure of the tail, and also slightly in 

 the wings ; they have been considerably sub-divided by Bonaparte. 



1st. Of rather large size, wings broad, full, and soft; tail of 16 

 or 18 feathers ; the laterals slightly narrowed, Gen. Nemoricola, 

 Hodgson and Bonap. 



43. Gallinago nemoricola, Hodgson. 



Jerdon, Cat. 336— Blyth, Cat. 1606— Jerdon, 111. Ind. 

 Orn. pi. 9 — Nemoricola nipalensis, Hodgson. 



The Wood Snipe. 



Descr. — Top of the head black, with rufous-yellow longish mark- 

 ings ; upper part of back black, the feathers margined w r ith pale 

 rufous-yellow, and often smeared bluish ; scapulars the same, 

 some of them with zig-zag markings ; long dorsal plumes black 

 with zig-zag marks of rufous grey, as are most of the wing- 

 coverts ; winglet and primary-coverts dusky black, faintly edged 

 whitish ; quills dusky ; lower back and upper tail-coverts barred 

 reddish and dusky ; tail with the central feathers black at the 

 base, chesnut with dusky bars towards the tip ; laterals dusky with 

 whitish bars ; beneath, the chin white, the sides of the neck 

 ashy, smeared with buff and blackish, breast ashy, smeared with 

 buff and obscurely barred ; the rest of the lower plumage, with 

 the thigh-coverts, whitish, with numerous dusky bars ; lower tail- 

 coverts rufescent, with dusky marks, and the under wing-coverts 

 barred black and whitish. 



Bill reddish brown, paler at the base beneath; irides dusky brown; 

 legs plumbeous-green. Length 12£ to 13 inches ; extent 18 ; 



