180 
PRaECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 
Genus SCOLOPAX, Linn^us. 
Scolog/ax, Linn. S. F. eel. 10, 1758, 145 ; ed. 12, 1766, 242 (type, S. rusticola, Linn.). 
Rusticola, Moehr, Av. Gen. 1752, 77 (same type). 
Char. Body very robust ; tarsus less than half as long as the bill, and scarcely longer than 
the middle toe ; tibiae completely feathered ; primaries normal, the outermost longest, and broad, 
like the rest. 
The above diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish this genus, which embraces the European Wood- 
cock (S. rusticula ) and two allied Old W orld species or races, 1 from the genus Philohela, of which 
the American Woodcock (P. minor ) is the sole representative. 
Scolopax rusticula. 
THE EUROPEAN WOODCOCK. 
Scolopax rusticola, Linn. S. F. ed. 10, 1758, 146; ed. 12, 1766, 243. — Naum. Vog. Deutschl. 
VIII. 1836, 361, pi. 211. — Keys. & Blas. Wirb. Eur. 1840, 78. — Schleg. Rev. crit. 1844, 
85. — Gray, Gen. B. III. 1849, 584. — Baird, Am. Jour. Arts & Sci. XLI. 1866, 25 (New- 
foundland). 
Scolopax rusticula, Whart. Ibis, 1879, 454. — Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 524. — Coues, 
Check List, 2d ed. 18S2, no. 606. 
Scolopax major, Leach, Syst. Cat. 1816, 31. 
Scolopax pinctorum, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 613, pi. 32, f. 2. 
Scolopax sylvestris, Brehm, t. c. 614. 
Rusticola sylvestris, Macgill. Man. II. 1840, 105. 
Rusticola vulgaris, Vieill. N. D. III. 1816, 348. 
Woodcock, Yarr. Brit. B. ed. 2, III. 1845, 1, fig. ed. 3, III. 1, fig. et Auct. 
Hab. Palsearctic Region ; occasional in Eastern North America (several records : Loudoun Co., 
Virginia, Coues, Forest £ Stream, April 27, 1876, p. 180 ; New Jersey, Coues ; Newfoundland, 
Baird, Am. Jour. Sci. & Arts, XLI. 1866, 25). 
NWS** 
Sp. Char. Adult : Above rusty brown, everywhere variegated by lighter transverse spots and 
dusky lines; the middle of the back (longitudinally) and the scapulars marked with irregular 
large black spots or blotches ; scapulars much mixed with light grayish posteriorly, and sides of 
the interscapular region almost continuously light grayish, forming a pair of well-defined V-shaped 
1 S. saturata, Horsfield, of Java, and S. Rochusseni, Sciilegel, of Africa (Greater Ohi). 
