ad 
— 
PTEROCLES GUTTURALIS. 577 
bright rufous nankin, sparingly barred with arrow-headed black 
markings. 
Female.—Not unlike that of Pterocles namaqua. Length, 94"; 
wing, 7”; tail, 34”. 
Fig. Reichenb. Hiihnervég. tab. ccviii. figs. 18, 19. 
558. Prerocius currurauis, Smith. Yellow-throated Sand-grouse. 
The expedition under Sir A. Smith discovered this species about 
eighty miles east of Latakoo, repairing in large flocks to water 
at fixed periods, and feeding on grass seeds. Mr. Ayres writes :— 
“These birds are tolerably plentiful in the neighbourhood of 
Potchefstroom towards the latter end of winter and the beginning 
of spring, but appear to leave in summer; they are generally in 
companies of from three to a dozen or so, and very seldom found 
singly: they mostly frequent bare ground not far from water; and 
I am informed that they go regularly to drink twice a day, however 
distant they may be from their supply. Their flight is exceedingly 
strong ; they rise with a loud whirring noise, and when on the wing 
they somewhat resemble some of the Pigeons, especially Columba 
pheonota. On the approach of danger they crouch and he very 
close to the ground, and it is then exceedingly difficult to see them ; 
when disturbed they do not run, but rise quite suddenly. Their 
notes, which are, I believe, only uttered on the wing, are short and 
harsh, and may be heard a considerable distance ; they feed much 
upon the seed of a small species of tare or pea, and also upon 
bulbous nutty roots of a small species of grass, which they scratch 
up; these bulbs have a strong, agreeable aromatic smell; and when 
the birds have freely fed upon them they appear to be thoroughly 
scented.” A second note from the same gentleman is as follows :— 
“T found these birds about the River Limpopo in June; they were 
in flocks which apparently consisted entirely of females. I killed 
four out of a flight at one shot, with dust shot, all of which were 
hen birds. A few of them were breeding; and I found their eggs, 
three in number, laid on the bare ground amongst the grass, without 
the slightest appearance of a nest, at no great distance from the 
water.” Dr. Exton tells us that he did not observe it himself in the 
neighbourhood of Kanye in the Matabele country, but two specimens 
were obtained by a waggon-driver north of Bamangwato. Mr.'T. E. 
2p 
