GLEANINGS 
IN 
SCIENCE. 
JVo. 32. — August, 1831. 
I. — On some of the Scolopacidse of Nepal. By H. B. Hodgson, Esq. 
B. C. S. 
It is the more especial purpose of this paper to describe two new, or, at least, 
very rare and interesting species of Snipe, found in Nepal ; very faithful drawings 
of which, large as life, are appended to the paper 1 . But, as these rare species, 
doubtfully allied, in some respects, to both woodcock and snipe, will be best illus- 
trated by a comparison with the ordinary types of the two genera, and as to 
judge by my numerous specimens of the common woodcock and common snipe, 
with reference to Shaw’s descriptions of them — these my standards of comparison 
would not seem to be free from local variations, I shall precede my account of the 
species first alluded to, by descriptions and drawings of the common woodcock and 
sni pe, as they occur in Nepal. This manner of proceeding will, I am aware, make 
m y paper long, and perhaps tedious ; but the beauty of the drawings (the work 
a native artist, in my service) may atone for the tediousness of the descriptions-; 
an d, at all events, I cannot otherwise insure accuracy — not to mention, that if the 
Nepalese types of the common snipe and common woodcock, prove to be indeed 
varieties with reference to the European birds, I shall, by my additional labour, 
( ^°) I believe, an acceptable service to the science which so agreeably amuses my 
Jeisure hours. Shaw asserts, that the common snipe is twelve inches long. The 
Same author’s generic character gives the anterior toes connected at the base by a 
membrane : and he adds, that this bird is not usually gregarious. A great sport- 
ln g author, again tells me, that the woodcock weighs from 12 oz. to a lb. Now 
these are facts— if facts they be (not to mention others), which are not reconcilea- 
with my experience in Nepal. 
Scolopax Rusticola — Common Woodcock. 
The finest specimens of the woodcock procurable in Nepal, measure 13§ 
kches long, with a bill of nearly three inches, and a weight of Ilf oz - Ordinarily, 
the fully grown birds reach 13 j nc i ies in length ; but their average weight is not 
a ^ 0ve 10 oz. I never weighed, save one, that was fully 11§ oz. and that was an 
U nusu a ii y large and fat bird, killed nearly at the close of the season, or in April. 
Ihe woodcock makes his appearance here, probably, about a month after the 
° M ot the rains, and remains with us till the accession of the hot weather ; so, 
1 * last > w e presume, from what we observed here, and know of the general habits 
^ ie bird — for the fact of his being migratory at all is not capable of positive 
‘ u ‘tainment, owing to the density and darkness of our woods, except during the 
1 See remarks at the end of the paper. Ed. 
series, no , V1I _ 
