102 
SCOLOPACINJE. SCOLOPAX. 
for their food in a hideling manner, never appearing in 
open places, or running about like the Tringae, nor forming 
dense flocks, although vast numbers of individuals often oc- 
cur in a small extent of ground. They nestle on moors and 
heaths, in moist pastures, meadows, and marshes, forming a 
slight nest, and depositing four very large, pyriform, spotted 
eggs. They are generally distributed on both continents, 
but those of Europe and America are distinct. 
204. ScOLOPAX SOLITARIA. SOLITARY SNIPE. 
Tail rounded, of sixteen feathers ; bill twice the length of 
the head ; two longitudinal black bands on the head, sepa- 
rated by a narrower medial yellowish-white band, and on 
each side a band of the same colour ; the upper parts varie- 
gated with black and light red, with four longitudinal yellow- 
ish-white bands ; the wing- coverts tipped with white ; sides 
transversely barred with dusky ; axillar feathers white, barred 
with greyish-black ; three lateral tail-feathers on each side 
white. 
Male, 12-J, 19, . . , 2 ft. 
This species, although it has not very unfrequently been 
met with in England, is apparently an irregular winter visi- 
tant. Being so very similar to our Common Snipe, it is pro- 
bably sometimes mistaken for it. It is generally dispersed 
over the continent, breeding in the northern regions. The 
name of major given to this species is inadmissible, now that 
several large species are known. 
Solitary Snipe. Great Snipe. Double Snipe. 
Scolopax major, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. 661. — Scolopax major, 
Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 714. — Scolopax major, Temm. Man. 
d’Ornith. ii. 675. — Scolopax solitaria, Solitary Snipe, Mac- 
Gillivray, Brit. Birds, iv. 
205. Scolopax Sabini. Sabine’s Snipe. 
Tail rounded, of twelve feathers ; bill more than twice the 
length of the head ; the head and hind-neck brownish-black, 
spotted with dull chestnut-brown ; back and wings black, 
barred and spotted with chestnut-red ; tail black for half its 
length, then chestnut-red, barred with black ; fore-neck and 
lower parts dull light red, undulated with dusky. 
Adult, 9 t %, 2ft, 1^, ...... 
This species was first described by Mr Vigors in the four- 
teenth volume of the Transactions of the Linnsean Society, 
