WILSON’S SNIPE. 
34J 
Male, 10$, 17. 
Distributed throughout the country. Breeds from Virginia northwards. 
Exceedingly abundant in the Southern and Western Districts during winter. 
Adult Male. 
Bill twice as long as the head, subulate, straight, compressed for more 
than half its length, depressed towards the end. Upper mandible with the 
dorsal line straight, the ridge for a short space at the base flattish, then 
convex, towards the end flattened, the sides with a narrow groove extend- 
ing to near the tip, which is obtuse and probe-like, the edges soft and 
obtuse. Nostrils basal, linear, very small. Lower mandible with the angle 
extremely long and narrow, the sides nearly erect, with a groove having 
several bars across it ; the end of both mandibles covered, after death, with 
numerous prominences, or rather with reticular depressions, leaving small 
prominences between them. 
Head rather small, oblong, narrowed anteriorly, the forehead elevated and 
rounded. Neck rather short. Body rather full. Legs of moderate length, 
slender ; tibia bare below, scutellate before and behind ; tarsus with nume- 
rous scutella before, smaller ones behind, and reticulated sides ; toes very 
slender, free, scutellate above, narrow and slightly margined beneath ; 
first very small, third longer than the tarsus, fourth much shorter, but con- 
siderably longer than second. Claws slightly arched, extremely compressed, 
very acute, that of the third toe largest. 
Plumage very soft, rather full, blended, on the fore part of the head very 
short. Wings of moderate length, narrow, sharp; primaries broad, tapering, 
but rounded, the first extremely small and pointed, the second longest, the 
third very little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries broad, 
short, incurved, rounded, the inner very long, tapering, as are the scapulars. 
Tail short, rounded, of sixteen rounded feathers. 
Bill brown, the granulated part towards the tip black. Iris hazel. Feet 
bluish-grey, claws dusky. On the upper part of the head two brownish- 
black longitudinal broad bands, separated by a narrower central pale brown 
one, and with another pale brown band on each side from the bill over the 
eye; then a loral band of dark brown; chin whitish; neck pale reddish-brown, 
spotted with brownish-black. The general colour of the upper parts is 
brownish-black, variegated with pale reddish-brown, of which latter colour 
are the outer edges of the scapulars and of the lateral feathers on the anterior 
part of the back. Wing-coverts and inner secondaries similarly mottled, the 
smaller anterior coverts, the primary coverts, primary quills, and outer 
secondaries deep brown, more or less tipped with white; first quill white, 
dusky in the centre, second with the outer edge brownish-white ; rump 
barred with yellowish-grey and dusky; upper tail-coverts similar, but the 
