Sand-Grouse. 19 



This fine Sand-Grouse frequents barren 

 and desolate steppes and undulating 

 semi-desert plains. Mr. Hume, writing of 

 his own personal experiences of this bird, 

 says : — " Both when feeding and taking its 

 siesta, it is not uncommonly in considerable 

 flocks (I have seen several hundreds to- 

 gether) ; but in summer, at any rate, it is 

 perhaps more common to meet with it in 

 little parties of from three to twenty. 

 Whilst feeding, it trots about more rapidly 

 and easily than its short feather-encased 

 legs and feet would lead one to suppose ; 

 individuals continually flying up and 

 alighting a few yards further on, and now 

 and again the whole flock rising and flying 

 round, apparently without reason or aim. 

 Sometimes it is very shy, especially in the 

 early mornings and evenings ; and though 

 it will not, unless repeatedly fired at, fly 

 far, it will yet not let you approach within 

 100 yards ; but, as a rule, during the heat 

 of the day, you may walk right in amongst 

 them. . . . Early in the morning, and 

 quite at dusk, they come down to the 

 water to drink ; by preference to fresh 

 water, but, as at the Tso-Khar, at times 

 to quite brackish water. They are always 

 noisy birds when moving about, uttering a 

 call something like ' guk, guk,' to my ear, 



