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



It breeds in April, in small holes, which it forms in the sand, 

 and lines scantily with dried grass. 



145. Pterocles senegalensis, Latham. Senegal Sand- 

 grouse. 



This Sand-grouse, which differs from the last chiefly in its 

 paler colour and yellow throat, is also far less abundant ; and we 

 only shot three specimens while in Egypt. 



146. Pterocles coronatus, Licht. Crowned Sand-grouse. 

 This is undoubtedly a rare bird in Egypt ; for neither Mr. E. 



C. Taylor nor myself ever once met with it ; but Dr. A. L. 

 Adams mentions having shot four of these birds out of a flock 

 at the second Cataract (Ibis, 1864, p. 27), and Mr. S. S. Allen 

 also shot a pair at El Kab (Ibis, 1864, p. 240). This species 

 is well figured in Gould's ' Birds of Asia.' 



147. Glareola pratincola (L.). 



This Pratincole arrives in Egypt in great numbers about the 

 middle of April. We first met with it at the first Cataract, 

 near Phile, on the 15th of that month, and afterwards saw it 

 in great abundance as we descended the Nile, sometimes on the 

 bare fields, but more frequently by the side of some pool, or on 

 the numerous sand banks; at times flying rapidly through the 

 air in flocks like Plovers, or else floating with outspread wings, 

 or, again, playing over the water after the manner of Terns. When 

 I first saw a single specimen of this bird rise from a small pool, 

 I should have taken it for a Green Sandpiper, which it very 

 closely resembles in the colouring of its back and flight, had it 

 not been for the greater length of its pinions, which gives 

 it a more Tern-like appearance. Locusts seem to form their 

 chief food when I met with them. Probably the greater 

 number of these flocks do not remain in the country to breed, 

 but pass on into Europe, returning again in October and 

 November on their way south. 



148. CuRsoRius GALLicus, Gm. Cream-coloured Courser. 



I met with a flock of four of these birds on the 4th of 

 February, opposite Aboofayda. Although shy, they preferred 



