This presumed Gallinago gallinago snipe was found by Martin Reid among the trays
of G.delicata at the NHM at Tring, Hertfordshire, on 15th
September 2004. It is cataloged as: BM(NH) Reg. No. Vel. Cat.
38.75b
Sadly the data on the label are very limited, and an initial search
for more data at Tring was unsuccessful. This was one of two specimens
labelled similarly - the other had quite large white tips to the
seconaries (for delicata), but these tips were only half
the size of this bird, and the rest of the features (underwing,
axillaries, outer retrix) indicated delicata - unlike this
specimen.
The data in their entirety are:- " No 75 b"; "Wilson's
Snipe, Gallinago wilsoni, N. America, Hudson Bay Company";
and on the reverse: " 21.03.83" - I presume this to
be 21st of March 1883:
The tail was counted by a curator, and had twelve feathers, with
the two outers matching the shape of outermost retrices for
G. Gallinago, and no evidence of missing or moulting retrices.
In the image below the pinned-out R6 measures 10.05mm at 20mm
from the tip:
A middle secondary from each wing was measured for the white tipping
(along the inside of the feather shaft) - both were 4.3mm deep:
