1837-] Mr. Hodgson on the Scolopacidce of Nip ah 411 



searches. The result of these it is his intention immediately to pub- 

 lish, accompanied by finished representations of the animals, taken 

 from drawings made in almost every instance from numerous living in- 

 dividuals of the several races.* 



Mr. Hodgson first describes in detail the common Woodcock, Scolopax 

 JRusticola, Linn., as it occurs in Nipal ; where it is, in every respect of 

 form and colour, evidently identical with the European bird. In Nipal 

 also it seems to be, as it is in Western Europe, of migratory habits : and 

 the periods of its arrival in, and departure from, Nipal, correspond al~ 

 together with the seasons of its appearance and disappearance in 

 England. 



He then proceeds to describe in detail the several kinds of Snipe 

 which occur in Nipal. 



Two of these are so nearly related to the common Snipe of Europe, 

 Gallinago media, Ray, that Mr. Hodgson is induced to regard them as 

 being probably specifically identical with that bird : and he accordingly 

 refers them to it as varieties, which are constantly distinguished from 

 each other by the structure of the tail. In one of them the tail-feathers 

 are fourteen or sixteen in number, and are all of the same form : in the 

 other the tail-feathers vary in number from twenty-two to twenty-eight ; 

 and the outer ones on either side, to the number of six, eight, or ten, 

 differ remarkably from those of the middle, being narrow, hard, and 

 acuminated. The latter bird may, however, be regarded as the repre- 

 sentative of a species to. which the name of Gall, heterura may be given. 



The othev two Snipes of Nipal are unquestionably distinct from those 

 of Europe. They are described as the solitary Snipe, Gall. solitaria s 

 Hodgs., and the Wood Snipe, Gall, nemoricola, Ej. 



In the solitary Snipe the wings are remarkably long ; the upper sur- 

 face, especially on the wings, is minutely dotted, barred, and streaked, 

 ■with white intermingled with buff and brown ; and the abdomen is white, 

 barred along the flanks with brown. 



The Wood Snipe has the general colouring of the plumage dark and 

 sombre ; the wings short ; the abdomen and the whole of the under sur- 



* We learn from Mr. Hodgson, and from the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, that 

 many of the drawings to serve as illustrations to the projected work, have been sent to 

 Europe from Calcutta, to be put into the hands of Artists there. These drawings were 

 exhibited at the scientific soirees of Lord Auckland, and excited general admiration. 

 The Editor of the Bengal Journal designates them as a « magnificent series of illustrati- 

 ons.". The indefatigable industry, great talents, and extraordinary tact in the observation 

 of the natural forms and habits of animals,, possessed by Mr. Hodgson, render it quite 

 certain that this work will far surpass any that have yet appeared on Indian Zoology. 

 We cannot too much admire the conduct of this high civil functionary, in thus devoting 

 the time which he can spare from the official duties of his exalted station, to the prosecu- 

 tion of scientific labours of this kind. The Indian community, and the cultivators and 

 admirers of science, should testify their appreciation of such exertions, by subscribing to 

 the work, so as to prevent the chance of any pecuniary loss to the disinterested author in 

 the prosecution of his costly undertaking.— Editor Madras Journal. 



