14 ALLEN'S naturalist's LIBRARY. 



they again resort to their feeding-ground, 7iot that where they fed 

 earher, but much more open and bare ground, ploughed fields, 

 and perfectly open sandy plains." Here, like the rest of their 

 kind, they enjoy a noontide siesta, after which, having again 

 fed for a while, they return to the water for their evening 

 draught. Except when coming and going to their drinking- 

 places, the parties are so scattered that it is not easy to obtain 

 many shots, but they are generally far from shy, and, when 

 squatting, exactly resemble the colour of the ground, whence 

 they rise with great rapidity, and often add considerably to 

 the excitement of a day's sport. In India this species breeds 

 during the greater part of the year, and probably two or more 

 broods are reared in the season. 



Eggs. — Very similar to those of P. alchatus ; but propor- 

 tionately smaller, and with the ground-colour, which varies 

 from pinkish stone-colour to pale olive-brown or grey, gener- 

 ally paler. Three is the number of eggs generally found 

 in a nest, but sometimes only two are laid. Four and even 

 five have been found in one nest-hole, but they are probably 

 the produce of more than one female. The average measure- 

 ment is 1*45 inch by 1*03. 



IV. SPOTTED PIN-TAILED SAND-GROUSE. PTEROCLURUS 

 SENEGALLUS. 



Tetrao senegalius, Linn. Mantissa, p. 526 (1867-71). 

 Pterocles senegalus, Hume and Marshall, Game Birds of India, 



i.p. 53, pl.(i878). 

 Pteroclurus scriegallus, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxn. 



p. 14 (1893). 

 Adult Male.— Chest and upper breast uniform pale fawn- 

 colour ; the shaft of the first flight-feather dark, and the 

 middle of the belly black. Neither the upper-parts nor the 

 chest are spotted. Total length, 13 inches; wing, 8; tail, 

 I. 



