242 snipe. 



wholly cinereous, the middle of each feather brown, which is in 

 streaks on the head and neck, oblong on the back, and transverse 

 on the rump ; the under parts white ; but the throat and breast are 

 streaked with ash-colour; wings ash-colour, crossed with a white 

 bar ; quills brown ; the shaft of the first white, the second cinereous; 

 secondaries tipped with white ; the two middle tail feathers cine- 

 reous, the rest the same, varied with whitish, but not banded ; legs 

 reddish brown, toes somewhat pa I mated at the base; claws blackish. 



Male and female alike. 



This inhabits, during the summer, the neighbourhood of the 

 Caspian Sea, particularly about the mouth of the River Terek, 

 where it breeds; met with in flocks in the marshes, especially on 

 the borders of the salt lakes, and feeds on insects. This is not 

 perfectly consonant to any Genus ; seems a link between the Snipe 

 and Avoset; but the bill turning downwards at the point, seems to 

 forbid the placing it with the latter, though the toes, being pal mated 

 at the bottom, gives it great affinity. 



55. -NEW-HOLLAND SNIPE. 



Scolopax Australis, Ind. Orn. Sup. p. lxiv. 

 New-Holland Snipe, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 310. 



LENGTH eleven or twelve inches. Bill straight, pale yellow, 

 large at the base, the upper mandible a little dilated at the point, 

 and twice the length of the head ; irides blue ; plumage above brown, 

 mottled somewhat in the manner of the Woodcock ; sides of the 

 head and neck dusky white ; back of the neck marked with dusky 

 brown streaks, and clouds of the same ; on the sides next to the 

 wings a few clouded crescents; legs pale yellow. 



Inhabits New South Wales. 



