THE WOODCOCK AND BRITISH SNIPE IN CEYLON. 69 



regions of all the mountain ranges of central and south- 

 ern India, some few, as we can now safely testify, straying 

 as far south as the mountains of this island. According 

 to Jerdon it is tolerably numerous in the Neilgherries, and 

 in Coorg r in which latter place, good bags are frequently 

 made. I have no doubt, that if the woods round Newera 

 Sliya were beaten with the help of dogs, stray birds 

 would often be picked up. It should be looked for, as 

 in England, along the damp boggy edges of streams in 

 the forest, say between the Sanatarium and Horton plains. 



The woodsnipe, Gallinago Nemoricola Hodgson, is re- 

 corded, by Jerdon (Vol. Ill, P. 672 of his Birds of India) as 

 occurring in Ceylon, but it is not clear where lie obtainedhis 

 information from*. Mr. Neville, however, (J. A. S., C„ B., 

 1876 — 70, p, 138) has set the matter at rest by des- 

 cribing there a specimen of this species that was shot near 

 Newera Eliya four to five years ago. It is much to be regret- 

 ted that the skin was not preserved, as it would have been 

 an exceedingly valuable addition to the Society's museum. 

 Looking at various characteristics of this snipe, such as 

 its size, large ample wings and consequent heavy flight, 

 resembling that of the woodcock, it is possible that 

 in the absence of specimens of the latter for comparison, 

 it may have been mistaken, as I have remarked (ante, 

 p. 67)1 for that bird, but with the very limited data to hand, 

 concerning either species in Ceylon, it is impossible to 

 speak with certainty on this point. 



• Neither Layard or Kelaart makes mention of this bird from 

 Ceylon. 



t The woodsnipe according to Indian Authors is as rare, if not 

 rarer, in India than the woodcock, and th erefore it will be as well to 

 emark that my reasons for stating that it " had probably been mis- 



