66 
be found to vary seasonally. Certainly they repair daily to favourite 
pools and small streamlets. 
(3.) NrpiFicaTion.—Widespread disappointment has been ex- 
perienced on this score, for grass meadows and sandhills as well 
as ploughed fields frequented by the birds have been explored with 
great labour and only negative results. Information reached the 
writer at the end of June, that a dealer professed to have received 
eggs of this Sand-grouse taken at Carlisle, but all particulars were 
withheld until August 21st, when Messrs. Stevens of King Street, 
offered for sale in lot 67 two eggs of Péerocles alchata (not a British 
species) labelled as eggs of Syzrhaptes paradoxus taken at Carlisle 
in June, 1888. A reference to these eggs, accepting their genuine- 
ness, was inserted in the “Zoologist” of September by the Editor, 
whose private note to the writer only reached him when the type 
was set up. On applying to the owner of the eggs in question for 
the name of the man who had taken these eggs “at Carlisle,” he at 
once declared that he had been “duped” by his collector, and 
that there was “no truth in the story” that the eggs were authentic. 
This person had previously stated to a correspondent that he had 
found a brisk demand for Sand-grouse eggs, having sold twenty in 
two months. It may charitably be supposed that some at least of 
the number were eggs of Pallas Sand grouse, from abroad. 
But consigning to limbo this painful disclosure, it must be stated 
that on first arrival, a few birds paired off and seemed disposed to 
nest. Two females shewed hatching spots, the one being killed by 
a dog on June 7th, and a second shot by a labourer on June gth. 
More positive evidence is furnished by the fact that the writer sent 
to the “Field” Office the ovaries of two females (killed on May 
26th and May 28th), asking that a professed expert might give an 
official opinion as to whether they would have naturally nested. 
The Editor of that Journal replied that “both the hens would have 
nested, the one in the coure of a few days, the other in less than 
a fortnight.” It may be stated that no precautions were spared to 
secure the safety of nests, had such been discovered. 
(4.) Foop.—Pallas Sand-grouse appears to consume almost 
every variety of seed obtainable, judging from the experience ot 
a 
