SENEGAL SAND-GROUSE 



Pterocles senegallus 



Arabic, Gutta 



Back and general tone of feathers sandy, top of head 

 and breast a delicate pinkish-lilac, cheeks and throat a 

 strong brilliant orange-yellow, wings spotted with chocolate- 

 brown markings, legs feathered, centre of chest and stomach 

 dark dull brown, two centre tail-feathers elongated, black 

 at points, barred at base. The female is not nearly so 

 brightly marked, indeed, is mainly sand-coloured ; eyes brown, 

 beak dull grey. Total length, 12 inches. 



There are three different varieties of Sand-grouse 

 in Egypt — the Singed, the Coroneted, and the 

 Senegal. The last has been selected as it is the one 

 with which I am best acquainted, but either of the 

 others have an equal claim, since, though occupy- 

 ing different local ties, they are to be met with 

 throughout the area covered by this book. All 

 the Sand-grouse are very similar in their habits, 

 they are all children of the desert, but come 

 down, either to feed or to water, to the cultivated 

 ground at morning and evening. Captain Shelley 

 gives absolute localities where they might be found 

 (he was writing in 1872), and ever since he gave 



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