1058. Gallinago gallinula

1058. Jack Snipe.
GALLINAGO GALLINULA.
Gallinago gallinula (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 244 (1766) ; (Naum.), viii. p. 344, Taf. 210 ; (Hewitson), p. 355, pl. xcix. ; (Gould), B. of E. iv. pl. 322 ; (id.), B. of Gt. Brit. iv. pl. 80 ; Dresser, vii, p. 653, pl. 544 ; David and Oust, Ois. Chine, p. 479 ; (Seebohm), B. Jap. Emp. p. 344 ; (Sharpe), Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxiv. p. 665 ; (Tacz.), F. O. Sib. O. p. 964 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 292 ; Saunders, p. 575 ; Lilford, v p. 67, pl. 28 ; Poynting, p. 119, pl. 26.
Becassine sourde, French ; Narseja pequena, Portug. ; Aga- chadiza pequena, Span. ; Frullino, Ital. ; Halbschnepfe, German, Bokje, Dutch ; Enkelt-Bekkasin, Dan. ; Smaabekkasin, Norweg. ; Halfenkel-Beckasin, Swed. ; Ucca-makastak, Lapp. ; Pieni Taivan-jaara, Finn. ; Bekass-stooshik, Garschnep, Russ.
Male ad. (Lapland). A broad central and two superciliary stripes on the crown black, the crown marked with deep rufous ; rest of head yellowish buff ; hind neck and fore back brown variegated with dark brown and white ; back and scapulars black glossed with green and purple and marked with chestnut ; a lateral ochreous stripe on each side ; wing-coverts margined with dull grey ; rump black glossed with purple ; tail black margined and mottled with rufous, the middle feathers elongated ; chin and upper throat white ; lower throat, breast, and flanks greyish buff clouded with reddish brown, and marked with dark brown ; rest of under parts white, the under tail-coverts striped with brown ; bill yellowish fleshy at base, otherwise blackish ; legs greyish, tinged with green at the joints ; iris dark brown. Culmen 1.7, wing 4.25, tail 1.9, tarsus 0.95 inch. Female rather duller. In winter the upper parts are less glossed with green and purple.
Hab. Northern Europe and Asia, north to above the Arctic Circle, breeding in the high north ; in winter south to Britain, the Mediterranean, North Africa, India, Ceylon, and China ; rare in Japan in winter.
Is less shy and lies closer than G. coelestis, which it otherwise much resembles, and like that bird remains hidden during the day, and feeds in the evening and early morning, obtaining its food chiefly by probing in the soft soil of the damp places it frequents. It produces also a loud sound in the breeding season. Its nest is a hollow in the ground scantily lined with a few grass straws. The eggs, 4 in number, are very large for the size of the bird, and are usually deposited in June ; they resemble those of G. coelestis, but are more varied, often richer in colour, and measure about 1.55 by 1.05.