674 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



outer pairs varying in breadth individually. Bill long, straight^ 

 tapering ; nostrils basal, nasal groove and groove in lower mandible- 

 extending nearly to tip ; terminal portion of bill in skins covered 

 with pit -like depressions, upper mandible grooved at tip on under- 

 side into which lower mandible fits. Tibia exposed for a short 

 distance only, reticulated in front, scutellated behind, tarsus scutel- 

 lated in front and behind, reticulated immediately below tibio-tarsal 

 joint, and immediately above foot. Four toes, not webbed, middle 

 one dilated on inner side. 



Soft "parts. — Bill dark brown, pale yellowish at base ; legs and 

 feet greyish-green or very pale yellowish ; iris dark hazel. 



Characters. — Distinguished from Jack Snipe by large size and 

 different shape of tail and tail-feathers. 



Field -characters. — Met with in family parties in early autumn^, 

 but later on generally solitary. Haunts as a rule dryer situations 

 than Common Snipe, being found as frequently on outskirts of 

 birch -woods or on dry moss under birch or willow-scrub as in 

 marshes. In fine weather sits very close. On being flushed goes 

 off usually to no great distance with slower and more direct flight , 

 without twistings of Common Snipe, compared with which it is 

 a larger, heavier and darker bird on the wing, with a conspicuous 

 amount of white in tail. Generally silent, it sometimes utters a. 

 monosyllabic, guttural, croak on rising (N.F.T.). 



Breeding-habits. — Nests in rather marshy ground, sometimes 

 where there are low bushes and scattered trees. Nest. — Depression 

 in mossy ground, sometimes with bents as lining. Eggs. — Usually 

 4, pyriform, pale greenish-grey to stone -buff, handsomely spotted 

 with deep vandyke-brown and ashy-grey shellmarks. Average of 

 100 eggs, 45.3x31.8. Max. : 48.8x31.9 and 46.2x33.3. Min. : 

 41.2 x 31.7 and 46.5 X 29.5 mm. Breeding -season. — Latter part May 

 and early June, but later in north. Incubation. — Apparently by 

 female but information defective. Period not definitely known, 

 probably under -estimated by Naumann (17-18 days). Single 

 brooded. 



Food. — Largely earthworms : also small snails and slugs ; also 

 insects, including coleoptera, larvse of diptera and Phryganeidse and 

 many aquatic species. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Rare passage -migrant (first half 

 May and end July to mid-Nov.). Probably annual autumn in 

 small numbers east and south England, vagrant elsewhere ; about 

 forty Scotland and fourteen Ireland. Very rare in spring. 



Distribution.— A broad. — Breeds in Scandinavia from Tromso south 

 to Denmark (Schleswig), Russia and west Siberia, a few parts of 

 Germany and as far south as Bessarabia. Formerly probably 

 Holland. On migration passes through Europe and westernmost 

 Asia (Caucasus, Persia, Turkestan), winters in Africa from north to» 

 Cape Province and Natal. 



