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is also ascertained. On this score little anxiety will probably be 
felt by the public. As regards their natural enemies, they are 
most likely to suffer from foxes, stoats, and marauding cats, while 
roosting together on some flat ground, screened from the wind if 
possible, as their habit seems to be. In their native country, their 
only enemy is Falco hendersoni, a near ally of the well-known Sacer 
Falcon. But, though this fine hawk usually strikes at Sand-grouse 
when drinking, and, therefore, more than usually exposed to danger, 
Prjevalsky is careful to tell us that even “he can not always catch 
' them, as they are very quick.” No doubt a Peregrine would find 
an old Sand-grouse a worthy quarry, but Peregrines are now scarce 
in most parts of Britain. 
Anglo-Indians have repeatedly assured the writer that Sand- 
grouse offer excellent sport and are good eating, and Mr. J. H. 
Gurney, junr., has already recorded his opinion that a well-dressed 
Pallas Sand-grouse is a toothsome viand. 
But, the writer has been cautioned against encouraging an over 
sanguine temperament, because his expectations of Sand-grouse 
nesting in Cumberland for the moment remain unaccomplished. 
It has already been shewn that powder and shot are partly to blame 
for that. But consider the rainfall of the summer of 1888, At 
Carlisle, the rainfall in May was 1'20; June, 1°82; in July, the 
record rose to 5°66; and on the 28th of July, as much as 1°12 fell. 
In 1887, the local rainfall for June was 0°30; in July, 2°30. 
Nor should it be forgotten that the birds reached England in the 
middle of their breeding season. Though the writer only handled 
a dozen birds in the flesh, he has more than a suspicion that 
females and immature males predominated. But, it is argued with 
a show of plausibility, Sand-grouse are natives of hot countries, and 
could never endure the vicissitudes of English winters. This is 
based on the supposition that, because most Sand-grouse inhabit 
warm countries, Pallas Sand-grouse must be delicate. Doubtless 
our climate would deal harshly with any of the twelve species of 
Pteroclide which Elliot refers to the Ethiopian region, and the 
remark of course applies to such species as belong to the Oriental 
tegion, 
