PTEROCLES, 39 



green or deep blackish slaty with a tinge of gloss ; lower breast deep metallic 

 green, the feathers tipped purplish ; tibial plumes rich purplish blue. The 

 young want the metallic gloss and protuberance at base of bill, and is duller 

 everpvhere ; bill dark blackish grey ; irides deep brown ; legs dull purplish 

 lilac. 



Zeng/h.— 16 inches; tail 3-5 ; wing lO; tarsus 17; bill from gape 1-5. 



Hab.— This, the most lovely species of the Pigeon group, inhabits the 

 Mergui Archipelago and the Nicobars, and extends to the Malay Peninsula, 

 Feeds on fruit ; nests on trees only as far as has yet been ascertained on the 

 Island of Battve INIalve in the Nicobars. The nests are like those of other 

 pigeons. Egg, one only, spotless white ; 1-84 x 1-27. Mr. Walsingham in 

 ep/s/ says its flesh is excellent food, and in his opinion superior to that of the 

 Rock Pigeon, and less tough. 



Order, Rasores,— Gallinaceous or Game Birds. 



Bill usually short, vaulted, m.ore or less arched and bent down at the tip -, 

 nostrils situated in a membrane at the base of the bill ; wings usually short ; 

 tail variable in length and form ; tarsi long and strong, often spurred ; hinder 

 toe short and elevated from the ground. 



Family, PTEROCLID/E,— Sand or Rock-Grouse. 



Bill short, curved to the tip and compressed at the sides ; wings and tail 

 long and pointed ; tarsi feathered ; hind toe small. 



Gen. Pterocles.— T'^^/z. 



Bill small, rather stout ; culmen curved, sides compressed ; nostrils at base 

 partly covered by membrane; wings long, ist and 2nd primaries longest; 

 tail with the median rectrices sometimes lengthened beyond the rest ; tarsi 

 short, feathered in front and on the inner side. 



Mr. D. G. Elliott has a very clear and exhaustive paper on the Pteroclida 

 Family in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 187S, pp. 233, 

 264, giving the literature of the Family, its classification and a review of the 

 geographical distribution, as well as a key and descriptions, with the synonomy 

 of each species. The following key is extracted from the paper referred to, 

 and will be found most useful. 

 A. " Without pectoral band. 



{a) Stripe on each side of forehead from nostril to above 



the eye; chin and centre of throat black.../*, coronatus. 



(b) Lores and band encircling back of head pearly grey ; 



cheeks, ear-coverts and throat orange yellow ; centre of 



abdomen black -P- senegallus. 



