CAPTURES OF PALLAS’S SAND-GROUSE. 103 
_our shores, that they had commenced the general moult, for the 
quills in both the wings and tail were being shed. 
Much has been said and written on the possibility of this 
interesting visitant becoming naturalized in the British Islands, 
had it been allowed to remain undisturbed. It is, however, very 
doubtful whether our moist climate would have suited the habits 
and organization of a bird fitted for residing in the arid plains of 
Asia. At the same time it is much to be lamented that it 
should have been so mercilessly shot down wherever it has 
appeared, precluding the possibility of its continued sojourn 
with us. 
It is an excellent bird for the table, resembling much in flavour 
our common grouse. It is, therefore, not likely to be permitted 
to settle unmolested in our thickly populated country, unless it 
should find shelter in some of our strict preserves, where it 
might rest for a while; but its migratory propensities would 
soon compel it to quit any such narrow asylum. 
In concluding this short communication it may be stated that 
Mr. Thos. J. Moore in his interesting account of this “new 
British sand-grouse,” published in the October part of “The 
Intellectual Observer,” is wrong in asserting that “the female 
differs from the male in wanting the filament of the wing.”? In 
all the females I have seen, this filament, as well as that of the 
tail is present. In one specimen in my possession the wing 
filaments indeed, are not visible until the wings are carefully 
examined; owing to the fact that the first quill has not yet 
attained its full length, and the second, which appears at first 
sight to take its place, covers it. The filamentous quill, how- 
ever, is easily observed in a half-grown state with the filament 
of the usual length—that is, a little shorter than it is in the 
male. It is probable that Mr. Moore has been deceived by a 
specimen in this state, or perhaps the filamentous quill may have 
just fallen out in the individuals he examined, and the new one 
may not have made its appearance. Under such circumstances 
the second quill, which has no filament, might easily be mis- 
taken for the first. 
