40 PTEROCLID^. 



beginning of June be found in Ala-sban tbree nests witb tbree 

 eggs in eacb, one set being quite fresb, tbe two otber sets 

 very mucb incubated. It will be remembered tbat tbree was 

 tbe largest number of eggs found in one clutcb in Denmark, 

 and tbree is well known to be tbe complement of eggs witb 

 otber members of tbe Pterodidce, Herr Radde, bowever, 

 wbo bad excellent opportunities of observing tbis species in 

 Dauria, and wbose detailed account is translated a little 

 furtber on, says tbat "tbe eggs go up to four," altbougb it 

 will be observed tbat be never mentions finding more tban 

 tbree ; and in tbe frontispiece to tbe ' Reisen im Siiden von 

 Ost-Sibirien,' Band ii., be figures a pair of birds by tbe 

 side of a nest containing four eggs, Tliere may be some 

 mistake in tbis, or it may point to anotber paradoxical 

 cbaracter in tbis species, indicating a closer affinity to tbe 

 Plovers tban is sbewn by tbe otber members of tbe order ; 

 but, at all events, sucb a distinct assertion must not be 

 passed over in silence. 



Tbe eggs are elliptical, stone-buff in colour, witb darker 

 blotcbes of purple-l)rowu, and average 1"5 in lengtb by 1"1 

 in breadtb.* 



Tbe following is a translation of tbe full account given by 

 Herr G-. Radde in bis above-cited work, pp. 292-294 : — 



" Tbe basin of tbe Tarei-nor, in Dauria, is situated in about 

 50° N. lat. and 116° E. long. Tbe nest is very simple, re- 

 sembling tbose of tbe otber Sand-grouse, and several pairs, 

 but never many, usually breed in company. In tbe salt- 

 impregnated soil on tbe Tarei-nor, usually on tbe ground 

 wbicb bas been dry for years, a sballow bollow about five 

 incbes in diameter is scratcbed out, and tbe edge is lined 

 witb a few salsola sboots and grasses ; but tbe latter are fre- 

 quently absent. Eggs go up to four {i.e., do not exceed four). 

 Sjirrh<q)ics does not winter regularly on tbe nortb-eastern 

 edge of tbe elevated Gobi, in tbe low spurs of tbe nortbern 

 portion of tbe Himalaya range. On tbe lOtb (22nd) Marcb, 



* An egg laid in the Zoological Gardens on 21st June, ISGl, l)y one of several 

 birds sent from China, was described and figured ))y Professor Newton, P. Z. S. 

 1861, p. 397, pi. 39, fig. 1. 



