PALLAS'S SAND-GEOUSE. 391 



road-way, crossing one of his fields, wliich I liave no 

 doubt, from liis description, were sand-gronse. They 

 were very tame, and allowed a near approach before they 

 flew up, so that he was well able to determine, being 

 accustomed to all kinds of game, that these were a species 

 unknown to him. This is the only instance, I know, of 

 their visiting the vicinity of Norwich, and one of the 

 few cases in wliich they appear to have penetrated so far 

 inland. In the Yarmouth district my latest accounts 

 were to the 3rd of August, on which day (writes Captain 

 Longe) " & small flock of twelve or thirteen were seen 

 near Winterton, on the beach; and in the "Field" of 

 Sept. 26th, Mr. Fenwicke Hele states that a single sand- 

 gTouse " was seen and shot at on the 18th instant," at 

 Alderton, near Alborough, Suffolk. 



October 3rd. — Three males killed at Holme-point, 

 near Lynn, Norfolk. These birds came into the hands 

 of Mr. Howard, of Hingham, who informed me that 

 only four were seen together at the time; the 

 fourth bird being also wounded, and lost. After that 

 date no others were noticed, and he believes that they 

 then quitted entirely that part of the county. I had 

 certainly given up all idea of examining any more 

 sand-grouse during that year, when summoned by the 

 bird-stuffer to inspect the last three; and though 

 sharing with other naturalists and sportsmen a regret 

 that so many of these interesting birds should have 

 been slaughtered during the nesting season, I was 

 glad enough of the opportunity afforded me of 

 observing the autumn plumage of the species, and of 

 comparing the tints of their freshly moulted feathers 

 with those of the earlier specimens. This vivid coloui-- 

 ing was particularly observable in the rich abdominal 

 band, the deep orange on the side of the head, the 

 dark markings on the back, and the sharpness of the 

 pencilled lines across the lower part of the breast. In 



