576 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
I flushed and shot the pomles The nest was a depression in the 
ground lined with grass.” 
Mr. T. E. Buckley procured specimens in the Transvaal, and states 
that it was very common from the Limpopo to the Matabele, and 
Mr. Ayres writes:—“ Next to P. gutturalis, this is the most 
plentiful of the Sand-grouse found near the Limpopo. The greater 
number of those we saw there in June were in flocks, but some few 
had paired and were breeding. The eggs, three or four in number, 
are laid on the bare ground amongst the short grass, and the 
hen bird will almost allow herself to be trodden on before she 
will rise.” Dr. Exton procured it near Kanye, in the Matabele 
country, and Mr. Frank Oates shot the species in the Makalapsi 
River in August and also on the Motloutsi River in August. 
Mr. Andersson also gives the following note :—‘‘ This is perhaps 
_the most common species of Sand-grouse in Damara and Great 
Namaqua Land, where considerable numbers may be seen, during 
the dry season, at any of the few permanent waters which exist 
in those countries, and which these birds frequent in large 
flocks about dusk and during the early part of the night, as well as 
sometimes also at early dawn; they remain only a short time at the 
water, and announce their arrival and departure by incessant sharp 
cries. When dispersed on their feeding-grounds, they are generally 
found in pairs, or at most two or three together. They feed chiefly 
on the seeds of grass, as well as on other seeds and berries, and 
mingle with their food considerable quantities of coarse sand. 
Their flesh is very white but excessively tough; it may, however, be 
somewhat improved by divesting the bird of its skin before cooking 
it. The eggs of this species are from two to three in number, laid 
npon the bare sand, and of a pinkish-yellow colour, spotted with 
grey and reddish brown.”’ Senor Anchieta has found it at Biballa, 
at Capangombe, and at Humbe on the Cunene River, at all of which 
places it is called Kambanjo. 
Male.—Above, ashy-brown, with triangular white spots and 
reddish-brown bars; top of head, reddish-brown, with longitudinal 
dark stripes; forehead black, with a small white patch at the base 
of the bill, and a larger over each eye; chin, sides of head, and 
throat, dirty nankin colour; chest ashy; between it and the 
belly, two bands, the first white, the second black; belly, dirty- 
white, minutely barred with very dark-brown ; under-tail coverts, 
