146 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



to Madagascar, where they inhabit forests. The 

 Kirombos {LeptosomatincB), two very nearly alUed 

 species found in Madagascar and the Comoro 

 Islands, are long-winged and short-legged, like 

 ordinary Rollers, but have the feathering advancing 

 on the bill and the outer toe reversible. The male 

 is metallic bronze-green above and grey below, 

 the female brown and buff with black spots. 



Sand-Grouse {Pteroclidce): 



Diagnosis. — Ground-birds of medium size with fowl-like 

 bills, long wings, and short feathered legs. 



Size. — About that of a common pigeon or dove. 



Form. — Bill small, fowl-like ; feet with short feathered 

 shanks and three front toes and a small useless 

 hind-toe, the latter sometimes absent ; wings 

 pointed, long, or very long ; tail rounded or 

 pointed, rather short, but middle feathers often 

 long and pointed. Head small ; body plump and 

 squat, very fiat-backed. 



Plumage. — Close, coloured mainly sandy, grey, and 

 black ; belly often all black. A seasonal change 

 in some cases ; usually a sexual difference. Young 

 like old female. 



Young. — Downy and active, feeding themselves ; 

 down speckled ; the male parents in species 

 bring them water by soaking their breast-feathers 

 and letting the chicks suck these. 



Nest. — None ; the eggs being laid on the bare ground 

 in a hollow scratched out. 



EGGS.^Usually three ; oval, spotted; 



Incubation. — Twenty-four days ; the female sitting 

 by day, the male at night. 



Food. — Seeds, herbage, and a few insects. They drink 

 regularly, in a long draught like pigeons; 



