PTEROCLES BICINCTUS. 575 
their appearance at the water about eight or nine o’clock in the 
morning in immense flocks, circling round the water at a con- 
siderable height before they descend, and adding to their numbers 
at almost every turn they take. Frequently they make no attempt 
at a descent until they are directly over the spot they intend to 
visit, when they suddenly descend with great velocity, at the same 
time describing more or less of a semicircle before they alight. 
This species feeds on seeds, berries, and small bulbs, and swallows 
gravel freely to assist its digestion. Its eggs are deposited 
on the sand, and are of a drabbish colour closely spotted with 
grey and brown; they are oval and less elongated than those 
of P. bicinetus.”” Mr. Monteiro procured it in Benguela, and 
Senor Anchieta has met with a single specimen on the Coroca 
River in Mossamedes. 
Male.—Ashy-brown ; throat and chin, yellowish; head, neck, and — 
chest, ashy ; feathers of back, dark brown at the shafts, succeeded 
by a band of bright nankin, then by a light purple spot, and finally 
tipped with dark brown, giving the back a spotted appearance ; 
wing-feathers dark brown; lower part of chest, vinaceous; between 
it and the belly a double band, first of white, then of dark brownish- 
red; belly, purple ash; vent and under tail-coverts, ochreous- 
yellow ; tail-feathers pointed, tipped with the same, but lighter. 
Length, 103"; wing, 7’; tail 3”. 
Female.—Colour throughout, rich nankin, confusedly barred with 
deep brown; paler on the under side; under tail-coverts im- 
maculate ; wing-feathers as in male. 
Fig. Reichenb. Hiihnervég. tab. ccix. figs. 1825-26. 
557. Prerociys Bicinctus, Temm. Double-banded Sand-grouse. 
Specimens of this Sand-grouse have been received from Kuruman, 
through the late Mr. R. Moffat, and from Mr. Arnot, at Colesberg. 
It does not appear south of the Orange River. Mr. Arnot’s 
specimens came from the northern bank. 
Mr. Ortlepp informs us that it is very common in Griqualand. 
Eggs brought by Dr. Exton are of a warm cream colour like those 
of P. alchata, more or less speckled, blotched, and dashed, with 
reddish brown and pale purple markings, chiefly in a ring near one 
end. Axis, 1” 5”; diam. 1” 1". He writes :—“I send also three 
eggs of P. bicinctus, which I took out of the nest from which 
