676 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



inner webs, irregularly barred and mottled pink-cinnamon, pink- 

 bun or tawny and edged light buff, coverts tipped light buff or 

 white ; greater coverts dark brown tipped white or buff, inner 

 ones irregularly marked buff and some faintly edged same ; median 

 and lesser coverts olive -brown or black-brown tipped pinkish or 

 whitish-buff, median coverts (except innermost) irregularly barred 

 and marked same. This plumage is acquired by complete moult 

 July to Oct. N.B. — There is considerable individual variation in 

 coloration ; the so-called Sabine's Snipe is merely a melanistic 

 variety. Summer. — The body -feathers, tail, innermost secondaries 

 and coverts, most median and lesser coverts are moulted Jan. to 

 May but not rest of wings. Coloration as winter. 



Nestling (Plate 9). — Black-brown median line from base 

 of bill to fore -head, intersected on fore -head by a narrow 

 white line ; an irregular narrow line on either side of crown ; 

 nape tawny, down sooty-black at base, some tipped white ; 

 crown and rest of upper -parts tawny variegated with black, 

 some down tipped white ; eye-stripe tawny ; a black-brown 

 line from side of upper mandible to eye, another often indis- 

 tinct from lower mandible to cheeks ; a whitish streak below 

 eye ; cheeks ochraceous-tawny ; chin and two irregular streaks 

 on throat blackish ; fore-neck tawny, down sooty-black at base ; 

 rest of under -parts ochraceous-tawny, down greyish-brown at base. 



Juvenile. — Like adult but feathers of sides of mantle and 

 scapulars with narrower, usually paler and sometimes almost white 

 edges to outer webs. 



First ivinter. — As adult and not to be distinguished with cer- 

 tainty ; wing-coverts and wing-quills usually more worn than in 

 adult. The body -feat hers, not all scapulars, sometimes tail- 

 feathers, innermost secondaries and coverts, usually some median 

 and lesser coverts but not rest of wings are moulted Aug. to Jan. 



Measurements and structure. — $ wing 128-138 mm., tail 53-61, 

 tarsus 29-33, bill from feathers 60-68 (12 measured). $ wing 

 130-140, bill 65-70. Primaries : 1st minute, 2nd longest, 3rd 

 equal or 2-4 mm. shorter, 4th 5-8 shorter, 5th 11-15 shorter, 6th 

 19-23 shorter. Longest inner secondary between 3rd and 5th 

 primaries. Tail fan-shape, 14 feathers, sometimes only 12, some- 

 times 16 or 18 ; feathers of moderate breadth, rather obtuse at 

 tip, outer pair with outer web very narrow ; juvenile has tail- 

 feathers somewhat narrower. Other structure as in Great Snipe. 



Soft parts. — Bill pale reddish-brown at base, tip dark brown ; 

 legs and feet dull, pale greenish ; iris brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — For differences of C. g. 

 faeroeensis see under that form ; C. g. raddei (E. Siberia) requires 

 confirmation ; C. g. nigripennis (Africa) has upper-parts almost 

 black ; C. g. wilsoni (America) has usually 16 tail-feathers and bill 

 is usually shorter. For distinctions of Great and Jack Snipe see 

 under those species. Black variegated with buff and pink-cinnamon 

 upper -parts and long straight bill distinguish it from allied species. 



