THE BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. 
387 
This bird varies a good deal in colour according to age ; but there is 
little likelihood of the Painted Snipe being mistaken for any other bird, 
and it therefore seems unnecessary to describe the variations, which are 
unimportant. The above descriptions are taken from adults. 
The Painted Snipe is a somewhat rare species in Burmah. Mr. Blyth 
gives it from Arrakan. I observed it in Pegu only in the marshy plains 
near the Canal, where it was not uncommon at the end of the rains ; but 
Captain Wardlaw Ramsay procured it at Rangoon and Yeytho. Mr. 
Davison did not observe it in Tenasserim ; but Capt. Bingham got it at 
Moulmein, and he states that it occurs in the Thoungyeen valley. 
It is found throughout the southern half of Asia, ranging down to 
Ceylon and down the Malay peninsula and Siam to the Philippines, Borneo, 
Java and Sumatra. It is now generally admitted that the Painted Snipe 
of Asia is identical with the one occurring over a considerable portion of 
Africa and Madagascar. In the Australian region it is replaced by an 
allied species, R. australis. 
The Painted Snipe is probably a permanent resident in Burmah ; but I 
have observed it too seldom to be sure of the fact. It frequents marshy 
ground where there is thick grass and cover, and is usually seen in small 
flocks of four or five individuals. I have never met with the nest ; but 
Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay found indications of the bird breeding in 
September. In India it makes a small nest of rushes on wet ground, and 
lays four eggs, similar to those of the Snipes. 
Genus LIMICOLA, Koch. 
731. LIMICOLA PLATYEHYNCHA. 
THE BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. 
Tringa platyrincha, Temm. Man. Orn. p. 398. Tringa platyrhyncha, Je?'d, 
B. Ind. ii. p. 692 ; Himie, S. F. i. p. 244 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 156 ; Armstrong^ 
8. F. iv. p. 343. Limicola platyrhyncha, Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 322 ; Dresser^ 
Birds Eur. viii. p. 3, pi. ; Hume ^ Dav. 8. F. vi. p. 461 j liujne, S. F. viii. p. 113 ; 
Legge, Birds Ceijlon, p. 896 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 240. 
Description. — Winter ptumage. Lores ashy brown, surmounted by a 
broad white band continued as a supercilium to the end of the ear-coverts ; 
forehead, crown, hind neck, back and scapulars ashy brown, each feather 
with a darker shaft-streak and indistinctly edged paler ; rump and upper 
tail-coverts blackish brown, the feathers edged paler; some of the latera^ 
upper tail-coverts whitish ; tail brown, the feathers narrowly margined with 
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