38 Birds of Gambia. 



Range. Senegambia to Abyssinia. 



These Sand-Grouse aie common here all the year round near- 

 ly all over the Protectorate, but at two seasons, December — January 

 and again in June, their numbers are enormously increased, and in 

 some years too they are much more abundant than in others. Those 

 which join our residents in June are, I presume, on their way north 

 to the desert and drier parts to breed during- the rains, while those 

 which appear in December, always by far the largest immigration, 

 are the results of the breeding season on their way to spread them- 

 selves over the country to the south. Although the great majority 

 leave us to breed, a few must nest with us, as I have once or 

 twice found their eggs, laid on the bare ground, in April and May. 



Their favourite haunt is thin bush in the neighbourhood of 

 cultivated ground, and they are particularly partial to recently burnt 

 patches. In such places one may put up pair after pair one after 

 the other in quite a .small area, while in December or January, there 

 may be hundreds all collected in one such spot. On the ground they 

 are most difficult to see, so well do their markin.gs blend with their 

 surroundings. During the day they lie quiet, moving about .slowlv 

 perhaps to feed during the mornings and afternoons, and it is not 

 until evening that they become really active and fly off to pools, 

 etc., to drink, arriving usually just at dark in small parties, which 

 drop noiselessly at the edge of the water, drink their fill and off 

 again at once, to scatter over the country to feed, often continuing 

 their meal late into the night especially when the moon is up. Dur- 

 ing the day they lie very close and only get up when absolutely 

 obliged, to zigzag rather heavily away among the bushes and settle 

 agai'n at no great distance. Tiieir evening (liglit is quite different, 

 rapid and direct, so that in many places they give quite pretty shoot- 

 ing as they flight over to water. Their note is a low characteristic 

 whistle, uttered both on. the wing and from the ground; it often gives 

 one useful warning of their approach or whereabouts. 



By the English here tliey are for some reason nearly always 

 called " Barbary Quail," while in Mandingo their names are Pilli- 

 Pilleechc (an iini'atinn of their ca'l) or Mbirro, a local name confined 

 to the Upper River. 



Descrlpliov. Adult male. General eo'oui- pa'e " game-bird " 

 browr- spotted witii black. Foi-eliead and a spot above and in front 

 of each eye white, a band bcliinl the white forehead across the front 

 of the head and ending on eash side at tlve loral line black, rest of 

 the head like the back: eyelids pale yellow; wings black. Breast 

 crossed by three cross-bars, cliestnut, buff anl black in that order, 

 from above downwards. The female has no breast or head mark- 

 ings. The young males don the breast markings some time before 

 they assume the full head mai'kings of th'e adult. 



TURNICID.^. 

 Turnix lepuram. SMITH'S BUSTARD-QUAIL, 



