34 



SCOLOPACIDE. 



more extensive palmation of the toes, and finally its very 

 long straight beak. 



The food itself consists in small univalve mollusca. 



Respecting the breeding and eggs of the present species, 

 nothing has as yet been ascertained, and consequently, the 

 nestlings are also unknown. According to Wilson, the 

 American ornithologist, the flesh of the Brown Snipe is 

 exceedingly fine flavoured, and the American sportsmen 

 slaughter immense numbers for the table every time that 

 these birds visit their coast. 



The entire length of the Brown Snipe is eleven inches ; 

 the beak two inches and a half; the wing, from the carpus 

 to the tip five and three quarter inches ;' the tarsi one 

 inch and a half; the naked part of the tibia seven lines; 

 the middle toe one inch two lines. These are the dimen- 

 sions of Montague's specimen in the British Museum. 



The crown of the head is reddish-brown, streaked with 

 black ; between the beak and the eye is a dusky streak ; 

 above the eye runs a white line ; the nape and back of 

 the neck are yellowish-brown, streaked with dusky : the 

 upper part of the back and scapulars have the centres of 

 the feathers black, and are edged with reddish-brown and 

 white : the tertials pale reddish-brown barred with black : 

 lower part of the back, rump, tail-coverts and tail white, 

 barred with black : front of the neck, breast, and thighs, 

 pale orange brown, spotted Avith black ; belly and vent 

 reddish-white ; under tail-coverts white, and reddish-brown, 

 barred with black. Legs oil green, tinged with grey : beak 

 greenish grey, and black at the tip : iris dusky. This is 

 the bird in summer plumage. The following describes it 

 in winter : — the chin, cheeks, and streak over the eye, white ; 

 between the beak and the eye is a dusky streak ; the crown 

 of the head, neck, and upper parts of the breast cinereous, 



