578 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Buckley states that he first met with this species about two days 
journey by bullock-waggon from the Limpopo in the north of the 
Transvaal, where they go about in small flocks in the open country. 
He says that their note is very like the croaking of a Woodcock, 
but much louder. The late Mr. Frank Oates procured a pair on the 
Shashe River, where the Zambesi road crosses it north of Tati, and 
Mr. Ayres gives the following remarks on the species, as observed 
by him during Mr. Jameson’s expedition:—“We found large 
packs of this Grouse feeding on the caffre-corn, which, at this 
season, was hanging dead ripe on the stems. The birds were 
exceedingly tame, allowing one to walk up to within a few yards of 
them. Their note, being loud, harsh, and guttural, can be heard at a 
considerable distance, and, being only uttered during flight, betrays 
their approach to the sportsman. They are very plentiful from 
Crocodile River, in the Transvaal, to about Tati River, the southern 
boundary of Matabele land; but we did not meet with them to the 
north of that river. They are excellent eating, split open and 
grilled, with a little butter.” 
Male.—Upper surface of head dull-green, faintly freckled with 
black ; sides of head and chin, straw-yellow ; eye-brows, yellowish- 
white ; space between the eye and the bill, black; the neck, the 
breast, and a portion of each shoulder, intermediate between oil- 
green and sulphur-yellow ; chest crossed by a narrow crescent of 
deep brownish-black; back and upper tail-coverts pearly-grey, 
strongly tinged with brown; belly and under tail-coverts deep 
reddish-brown. 
Female.—Above, nankin-yellow, profusely variegated with black ; 
chin and throat immaculate ; belly and vent deep chestnut, trans- 
versely barred with black ; under tail-coverts immaculate. Length, 
114”; wing, 8” 3” ; tail, 4”. 
Fig. Smith, Zool. 8. Afr. Aves, pls. 3, 31. 
559. Prmroctes variEcatus, Burch. Variegated Sand-grouse. 
This species was found by Sir Andrew Smith’s expedition at 
Tsinning, thirty miles to the west of Latakoo. Dr. Reid, of 
Colesberg, has sent specimens from between Soutpan’s Drift, 
Orange River, and Griqua Town, and Mr. Ortlepp found it between 
Hopetown and Eskdale, eight miles north of Hopetown. Dr. Exton 
