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75 
But Pallas Sand-grouse is a hardy Asiatic, accustomed to winter 
in North China, where the winters are well known to be very severe. 
The evidence of Swinhoe has often been quoted. But glance at 
that of the Hon. J. F. Stuart Wortley, who gave the following 
account of the species, apropos of thirty-four living birds which he 
had purchased for the gardens of the Zoological Society, in the 
public market at Tientsin. The wild birds “were always to be 
seen in large packs such as you see grouse in, when they get wild 
in September, and seemed to like being by the side of the river on 
the mud banks when left dry by the tide. The temperature at the 
time the birds first began to be seen, was about 20° fahr., and later 
on considerably lower ; and on the day we finally steamed down 
through the ice, which covered the Peiho for about fifty miles o¢ 
its course, the temperature was as low as ro° fahr., and the Grouse 
were in large flocks on each side.” (P.Z.S., 1861, pp. 196-8). This 
statement, if viewed calmly and dispassionately, may be taken to 
disprove the likelihood of the alarmist theory that #izs Sand-grouse 
is too delicate to endure our English winters. Of the movements 
to our estuaries, which, under certain conditions, might take place ; 
or of the additions to the numbers of Sand-grouse in this country, 
which may not improbably occur, should the birds that visited 
Norway during the late great movements be induced by stress of 
weather to continue their suspended exertions, and cross the 
German ocean in a south-westerly direction, it would at present be 
premature to speak. 
It only remains that the writer should tender cordial thanks to 
his correspondents, whose timely responses to various enquiries 
have materially benefitted the accompanying report. Of friends 
at a distance, Mr. Edward Bidwell and Mr. A. C, Chapman 
interested themselves on his behalf. He has also had the advan- 
tage of consulting Professor Newton. 
