GALLINAGO.
Differs from "Scolopax" in eye being less displaced back wards, ear opening below middle of orbit; legs feathered to lower part of tibia; frequent damp districts; largely nocturnal feeders; eggs in a depression in ground, pyriform, greenish buff, spotted and blotched with dull purplish grey and dark umber brown.
Gallinago gallinago gallinago (L.). Comtox SNIPE. Fr. BLassine ; Ger. Gemeine Sumpfschnepfe ; Ital. Beccacino reale ; Sweet. Enkelbeckasin.
d 9 Above black mottled and barred rufous with broad longi tudinal streaks of reddish buff on outer webs of scapulars ; crown black with three reddish buff stripes ; tail 14 feathers, basal part black, terminal part red brown with black anteapical band and buff tips ; beneath white, throat, neck and breast buff streaked brown ; flanks buff barred brown. There is considerable variation, some being greyer, others Inure rufous, and a inelanism (" G.
sabinii ") occurs in British Isles. Bill blackish brown, lighter below. Legs and feet greyish green. Wing 123-140. 9 usually the larger. Tarsus 31-34. Bill 63-70.
Breeds.--British Isles ; Continental Europe from north of Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and Russia south to Pyrenees, N. Italy, Montenegro, and Caucasus ; also in W. Siberia. In winter occurs in British Isles, and throughout S. Europe and N. Africa ; Azores, Madeira, and Canaries ; and S. and tropical Africa and S. Asia.
G. gallinago fwrceensis (Brehm). Browner above and more rusty red in spring and summer, especially on throat and upper breast ; usually both dark stripes on lower throat absent or indistinct ; edges of scapulars narrower and redder.
Breeds.—Iceland and Faroes (in latter islands typical race occurs in autumn). Resident or partly migratory ; has been found in Ireland, Cornwall, St Kilda and Tiree.
Gallinago media (Latham). GREAT SNIPE. Fr. Grande I3ecassine ; Ger?Grosse Sumpfschnepfe ; Ital. Croccolone ; Swed. Dubbel Beckasin.
? Like "gallinago" but tail of 16 feathers, wing coverts white tipped, four outer tail feathers white with slight black markings, underparts more deeply barred. Bill dull flesh at base, darkening towards tip. Legs and feet dull flesh. Larger. Wing 136-147. Tarsus 36-39. Bill 62-68. Young have outer tad feathers tinged rusty and barred black.
Breeds.—Scandinavia, Lapland, Denmark, N. Germany (few), Russia to Volga and Bessarabia, and across N. Asia to Yenisei. Migrates ; occurs on passage throughout Europe, uncommon in Britain, occasional Madeira and Canaries, scarce in N.W. Africa. Winters in Africa south to Cape Colony and in S.W. Asia.