82 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



The genus Ptcrocles is widely scattered over Asia 

 and Africa, Two out of the fifteen species, P. aren- 

 arius, the common sand-grouse, and P. alchata, the 

 pin-tailed grouse, are found in Europe — the first in 

 Portugal, Spain, and Southern Russia; the second, in 

 addition to these countries, is known also in the south 

 of France. Here, curiously enough, it is commonly 

 miscalled Le Pcrdrix d' A7igleterre. 



Besides these two species, which range from India 

 to South Europe and the North of Africa, other five 

 sand-grouse are found between India and Africa. 

 One species only, Pieroclcs fasciatus, seems to be 

 peculiar to Asia. The remaining eight members of 

 this family (Plerocles) belong essentially to Africa, of 

 which one, P. personatics, is found in Madagascar 

 only. 



In Southern Africa, that is in Africa south of the 

 Zambesi, only four species are identified. These 

 birds, however, are so numerous and so interesting 

 that a sketch of their habits may be thought worth 

 noting here. I have had some special opportunities 

 of watching these sand-grouse, all of them beautiful, 

 some rare and little known, in the deserts to which 

 they attach themselves. Their habits, their colour- 

 ing and flight, their machine-like punctuality, and 

 the wonderful displays afforded by their enormous 

 flights at desert pools, are a source of never-fading 

 pleasure and contentment. 



