The grass snipe,' also known as the pin-tailed snipe (G. stenura), is distinguished by a duller plumage than the common British snipe, and especially by the curious series of pin-feathers on either side of its tail ; whereas the other has a fan-shaped tail, altogether different in form. The pin-tailed is the common snipe of the Malay countries, but not of Australia, the Australian (G. Australis) being a much larger bird, with intermediate form of tail, as in the solitary and wood snipes of British India. Iu Bengal G. stenura is the moro abundant species, early and late in the season, as the common or British snipe is during the height of the cold weather ; but so early as on the 30th August, one was bought from the bazar in a bundle of pin.tailed snipes, and subsequently the pin-tailed only, in considerable abundance. Nothing is more easy than to dis tinguislt the two species by the shape of the tail, and a practised eye will generally tell them at the first glance ; yet very few sportsmen in India are aware of the difference.
The little jack -snipe (G. gallinula) is much later in its arrival, though numerous species of small waders arrive from their breeding haunts before the end of August. The jack-snipe has a tail quite different from that of any of the others; in brilliancy of plumage it excels all the rest.
There is a small and distinct species of wood cock in the Malay Archipelago, the Scolopax saturata of Iforsfield.
The woodcock, identical with the Britiah, has been obtained in the Tenasserim Provinces ; it abounds in the Himalaya, is less common in the Neilgherries, and is considered a rare bird in the mountains of Ceylon. On the I3ontley side it is said to be far from common in the 31ababitleshwar.
Of the aub-family Scolopacinete or snipes, the East Indian genera and spectea are art under :— Gallinago gallinula, Linn., Sykes, Jerdon, Bluth, Gould, is the jack - snipe. It breeds in the northern regions; it is found in most parts of India, in the cold weather coming later and departing earlier than the common snipe. It prefers thicker coverts, lying very close, and is diflicult to flush.
Scolopax rusticola, Linn., Jerd., S. Indict's, Half's., Gould.
Holt-sneppe, . . DAN. Siva-kukrn . of KARAM:. Woodcock, . . . ENG. Illom-rokke, . NORWAY. BCCRstio, FR Rutte, Krogrynist„ Wald schnepfe, . . GER. Morkuna, . . . .
Sim titar, Tutatar, MIND. Cyfrylog, . . WED01. Beccacia , IT The woodcock is a winter visitant to the more elevated wooded regions of India, all the higher ranges of the south of India, Coorg, Slievaroy, Pulney and Neilgherry Bills, and tlie Himalaya Mountains, a»d is occasionally seen in the plains of the Peninsula and Bengal, at 3Iadras, Kaladgi, and Masulipatam.
Scolopas saturata, //ors!, Java.
Gallinago nemoricola, Hodgs., Jerdon, Blyth. Nemoricola Nepalensis, IIodga.
The wood-snipe or solitary snipe is rare, but is occasionally found on the Himalaya, Neilgherries, Coorg, Wynad, Ceylon, also in the Saharunpur district below Hardwar.
Gallinago scolopacinus, Bonap.
S. gallinago, L., Sy., Jer. I S. burka, Loth., Bonap. S. uniclavus, Rod., Gould. I Chegga, . . . • BENG. Bharka, Bharak, . HIND. Huge gioeg, . . DAN. , Chaha, Chahar, . „ Ziege, Hccr-schnepfe, DUT. Myr-snippe, . ICELAND. Himele-ziege, . „ Beceacino, Pizzarda, IT. Common snipe, . ENG. Ifors-gjok, . . . . Sw. Watersnep, • . ELEM. More ulan, . . . TAN. Becassine, Becasseau, FR. Muku puredi, . . TEL. Chevre volant,. . . „ Ysnittan-y-fyniar,Vretstr.
The common snipe breeds in the northern regions, but is a winter visitant to India, arriving in small numbers in the N. of India early in August, and in numbers by the end of September and through October. They are occasionally seen in the Calcutta market early in Moat, and in that of Madras by the 25th of that month. In Upper Burma, Dr. Jerdon noticed them towards the middle or end of July. Dr. Adams says it breeds there, which Dr. Jerdon doubts. They frequent marshes, rise with a hissing call, fly against the wind, and occasionally alight in a ploughed field.
Gallinago solitaria, Hodgson, Blyth, tho Hima laya solitary snipe, found as yet only in the Himalaya, in winter, up to 3000 to 6000 feet, but probably belongs to Tibet.
Gallinago stenura, Town.
S. gallinago, jerd. al S. biclavns, „Thetas.
S. heterura, Hodgs. S. Horsficlihi, Gray. The piu-t led snipe.
This so closely resembles the common snipe that sportsmen and even naturalists often mistake it. Rhynehma Bengalensis, Linn., Sykes, Jerdon.
R. Capensis, Linn. K. pieta, Gray.
R. orientalis, Horsf., Ha mile.
The painted snipe is a permanent resident in some parts of India, breeding in June and July in thick marshy ground, but is found through out Africa, British India Ceylon, Burma, aud Southern China.—Jerdon,'Birds of India; Hors field and Moore, Cat. ; Indian. Field.