Capt. G. E. Shelley on Egyptian Ornithology. 143 



140. TuRTus sHARPii, G. E. Shelley. 



This bird arrives in the beginning of March and is extremely 

 abundant throughout Egypt and Nubia, where it may be found 

 breeding in great numbers towards the latter end of that month, 

 some three weeks before T. auritus arrives in the same country. 

 It has long been confounded with our common Turtle-dove, 

 owing to the similarity of its markings, but may at once be di- 

 stinguished from that bird by the absence of any blue shading 

 on the head and back, and from other characters which I have 

 given in detail (Ibis, 1870, p. 447). The e^^ is intermediate 

 in size between those of T. auritus and of T. cegyptiacus, and, 

 from the one specimen I brought home, appears not to be of 

 such a pure white colour as those of the other two Doves. 



141. TuRTUR ^GYPTiACUs, Lath. Egyptian Turtle-dove. 

 Very abundant throughout Egypt and Nubia, and is the only 



Turtle-dove which remains there the whole winter. It builds 

 both in trees and on the ground by the side of banks. 



142. CoTURNix COMMUNIS, Bounaterrc. Quail. 



Arrives in Egypt in great abundance towards the beginning 

 of March, and leaves again in November. The greater number 

 of birds met with in Egypt are probably only passing through 

 the country. 



143. Ammoperdix heyi, Temm. Key's Sand-partridge. 

 Rare in Egypt. Mr. E, C. Taylor obtained a specimen at 



Assouan (Ibis, 1867, p. 67). It frequents rocky districts, 

 where it prefers running and hiding among the stones to taking 

 wing. The Rev. H. B. Tristram gives an account of its habits 

 (Ibis, 1868, p. 214). 



144. Pterocles exustus, Temm. Singed Sand-grouse. 



I met with this bird in great abundance at Golosaneh, but 

 nowhere else during my last tour. In 1868 I found it very 

 plentiful w^herever a certain coarse grass grew, the seeds of which 

 form its chief food, especially at Karnook and near Kom Ombos. 



It is generally to be met with in small packs, and is rather 

 shy. It appears to utter its loud shrill note only while on the 

 wins. 



