SCOLOPAX KPSTICULA*. 
(THE WOODCOCK.) 
Scolopax rusticola, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 243 (1766); Gould, B. of Eur. iv. pi. 319 (18o7) ; 
Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 271 (1849); Kelaart, Prodromus, Cat. p. 135 (1852); 
Middendorff, Sibir. Reise, p. 223 (1853) ; Layard, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1854, xiv. 
p. 266; Jerdon, B. of Ind. iii. p. 670 (1864); More, Ibis, 1865, p. 437 ; Godman, Ibis, 
1866, p. 101 ; Shelley, B. of Egypt, p. 247 (1872) ; Legge, J. A. S. (Ceylon Branch) 
p. 64 (1873); Gould, B. of Gt. Brit. iv. pi. 77 (1873); Hancock, B. of Northumb. 
p. 102 (1874); Anderson, Str. Feath. 1875, p. 356; Blanford, Zool. Persia, p. 782 
(1876) ; Fairbank, Str. Feath. 1877, p. 409 ; Butler, t. c. p. 504 ; Dresser, B. of Europe, 
pt. 61, 62 (1877); Blakiston & Pryer, Ibis, 1878, p. 221; Hume, Str. Feath. 1878 
(B. of Tenass.), p. 458 ; Ball, ibid. 1878, vii. p. 228; Hume, ibid. 1879 (List Ind. B.), 
p. 112. 
Scolopax rusticula, Linn. ; Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 407 ; Holdsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 472 ; 
Schelgel, Mus. P.-B. Scolopaces, p. 2 (1864); Yon Heuglin, Orn. N.Ost-Afr. p. 1208 
(1873); David & Oustalet, Ois. de la Chine, p. 473 (1877); Seebohm, Ibis, 1879, 
p. 26 ; Wharton, t. c. p. 454. 
Scolopax indicus, Hodgs. Journ. As. Soc. B. vi. p. 490 (1837). 
La Becasse , Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. ; Waldschnepfe, German ; Houtsnip, Woudsnep, Dutch ; 
Gallinhola, Portuguese ; Gallineta , Andalucia ; Clioclia, Spanish ; Sou-mirh, Morocco 
(Drake) ; Elmar el hedjel, lit. “ the Donkey of the Partridge,” Moorish (Irby). 
SzalonJca, Transyl. (Danford) ; Hodo-shigi, Japanese (Blakiston) ; Yelfi , Asia Minor 
(Danford); Sim-titar, Tutatar, Hind.; Sim-kukra , Kumaon (Jerdon). 
Adult male, very fat (Wales, November). Length 13-9 inches ; wing 8’0, expanse 24’5 ; tail 3’G ; tarsus 1’46; middle 
toe 1-46 ; bill at front 2-93. Weight 12| oz. 
Adult, presumed female (Bhootan). Length 14'25 inches ; wing 8'0; tail 3‘3 ; tarsus 1’41; middle toe 1’41 ; hind 
toe 0 - 43 ; bill at front 3'27. 
Female (shot from the nest, Himalayas). “ Length 13-2 inches ; wing 7’5 ; tail from vent 3-3 ; tarsus 1-5 ; bill 3'3.” 
(Anderson.) 
Male in course of migration, “ not fat, but in fair condition ” (Karachi). “ Length 13§ inches ; wing 7J ; tail 3| ; bill 
at front 3’0 ; expanse 24-0. Weight 8 oz. 9 dwts.” {Butler.) 
Presumed male, excessively fat (Wales). Wing 8 - 0 inches ; tail 3’5 ; tarsus 1’45. W eight 14| oz. 
Adult female, December (Wales). Length 13-8 inches ; wing 7’8 ; bill at front 3-0. Weight Ilf oz. The bill is larger 
in the female than the male. 
Ohs. The enormous variation in the weight of the Woodcock is entirely dependent on the condition of the individual, 
as I have endeavoured to show by the above data. It becomes so fat that the entire body is encased in an 
unbroken coat of grease, and it then of course reaches its maximum weight. Jerdon gives the average as 9 to 
10 oz., and the extreme range 7 to 14 oz. or more. 
* Mr. Wharton ( loc . cit.) clearly demonstrates that rusticula is the correct orthography, it being the Latin in classical 
times for some kind of Partridge or Grouse. Rusticola is a meaningless word. 
