NOTICE OF THE NEW OR RARE BIRDS WHICH 
distribution des teintes des pennes de la queue, sont sujets a varier 
selon les individus and lie does not allow either S. brehmi or 
peregrina to be species. But while holding this opinion in regard 
to the Snipes, he differs from Temminck in Phalacrocorax , for he 
writes : “ II n’existe, dans l’Europe septentrionale, que deux espe- 
sces de cormorans, qu’il est aise de distinguer, l’une de l’autre dans 
tous les ages, par le nombre des pennes de la queue” 
The only Snipe which we do know to have the number of the tail- 
feathers uncertain, is the remarkable *$*. stenura of India, which 
varies in having from twenty to twenty-six tail-feathers. In this 
bird the want of size and development of the tail seems to be com- 
pensated by numbers, and one or two pairs of the very abortive 
external feathers may occasionally be wanting. Those specimens of 
S. major which we have examined have been constant in the num- 
ber of their tail-feathers, and the bird may be easily distinguished 
otherwise. So also are those of wilsonii. In S. gallinago the 
tail, when expanded, forms a perfect circle. In the S. brehmi , 
independent of number (sixteen tail-feathers), the outer feathers are 
longest, so as to form as it were a double fork. The occurrence of 
two Snipes with this structure, at Jardine Hall, in October last, 
induced us to announce its capture as the S. brehmi; and the accom- 
panying illustrations of the form of the tail, the distinctions given 
by the Prince of Canino, with those observed in the specimens 
killed here are now given, with the view of drawing attention to the 
subject, and to endeavour to ascertain whether these variations in 
structure and number should be considered as specific, or only 
accidental state of the different parts. 
On the 7th and 8th of October, the wind had been east and 
north-east, and a gale of considerable force. On the 9th and 10th 
the fiost was hard, and a good deal of ice on the springs, and on 
ese days there were a large number of Snipes on all the higher 
grounds. They lay very close, were evidently fatigued, and were 
no oubt portions of a flight on their passage. Eight were put up 
10 m a few rush bushes, growing in a space of twenty yards square, 
rom which the specimen alluded to was shot. Next day scarcely 
a ompe was to be found. 
135 
