Yieillot «sd -Saviy consider Rusticola a true gennsjieavhig the WnLe
QÎScohpax to thé rest! Macroramphus and Scolopax are in fact
nifor© efesely 3Fel«t©**han is Bmtieola to any of thente»^'
AE the speeies*'0 'fi;Otar genus Sc&hpax are-very similar as t# tb e
bill, which .i® all is long, slemderyistraight, compressedyespectelly
m hase, where itt* is eievafed, soft and flexible -its whole length,
with the point depressed* dilated, tumid and obtuse: owing to the
desiceationi o f the»» delicate nervous apparatus ttft tMs ' part, it
becomes wrinkled after death, exhibiting at the point a dorsal
groove andiniHBejrous indentations. Both mandibles-UFe-farrowed
to the middle on each side ; the upper, serrated inside along'the
palate with spnielibe processes pointing backwards, i^erminated
% an internal knob ; the lower being shorteB^ehanSlfed, and
soine what truncated : the nostrils are in the? furrows; basal*
marginal, linear and pervious* but half closed b f a membrane.
Th© tongue is moderate, filiform and acute. « The bead isdn all
large, compressed, and Eyfeular, low forward and high behind:
thceyes are very large, p ic e d high and far baek,b«pterllaps
less so in the bird which is more immediately the subject of Otfr
refcarkn: the neck ls»of moderate-tength, and stout f the body
com p ren d and very fleshy.
But if they have ail those traits in eoMnxon, thefetefetail, and
/UÛngs* present^ material differences. Thu feet are in a ll;it is true,
moderately long, sle s^ ,ifd n d feuv-toed, there being to this no
pmoeption as in. thé 'Êrmgæ. But in Mwtieola there is no naked
space on the tibia, whilst it exists, thoughts mall, itlSnohpax, and
ss ,considerable-■in the present subgenus. In this thw tarsus !»
much longer than the middle toeywMle in the true Snipés it- is
subequal, and in tbè Woodcocks decidedly shorter. In the present
the outer-toe is connected to the first Joint with the mid<ɧ
by a membrane, whilst in the two others all the toes are cleft : in
this and Scohpax the hind nail is falculate and acute, as well as
the others,-find projects beyond''thedoeysWhieh; is not the case in
the Woodcoftks, (which have that mail quite hfent and drawn back.
On the other hand, Maororamphus agrees with J2osheo/a in* the
tail, that part having the -regular .aiumber , of twelve ' feathers,
whilst in the -typical, Snipes the number\ Inf »feathers as well as
their» shape, varies amazingly in the jj different, -and .otherwise
striMniglyesimilarj$peeiei. (iSioanie feawfeute» aS^tWelva* .others of
fourteen,* sixteen,; eighteen; and on#«epe» pf }fe8i8^^b66»i|e^h©rsa a
number before unheard mi, in any ,othe©.fbi®d; whats#ever&. Jn all
these groups »the* tail «is nevertheless t#hoif, tequal, or fmiipeviOq fess
rounded, In?' bofexthe groups of SkoApes, the first quill »jfe the
longest;,but in thesspefeies of Woodcocks”the quills vary in length
and shape, affording the same anomalies and useful marks as the
tail-feathers in the true Snipes. ..In the, European Woodcock;the
primaries are of equal breadth anjl the two fiustltongest^whsilein
the American the three outer .quills are. very narrow, linear, and
the fourth and fifth longest.
i The females in this genus are similar menlour to the males,
but larger,- considerably soiia the American Woodeoek. d tTfhef
moult twice in the year, but- the present.* is the only one» that
Varies much with age or sesgpn.
It will not be wrbuging a®y td call them a ll; stupid bfeds;
though the- present is .fesa so t thiss ofety; of its, genua is gregarious,
associating and flying in numerous flocks. Like the Snipes,
and. contrary to the Woodcocks, they do« not dwell in damp
woods or forests, but frequent open marshy grounds and morasses :
but unlike the Snipes, they prefer the Wicinity Af the sea.
They might- ihdeei. be -ealled salt*wa$ej? .ifepes, in contradistinction
tp® the others* whitfe are fresfewater Snipes. ---.Their flight
is- high, rapid, and irregular, having nothing of the heaviness of
the Woodcocks. The flesh of all these birds is exquisite food,
and much sought "after.