218 BIRDS OF EGYPT. 



have begun breeding by the end of February, both in trees 

 and on the ground by the side of banks. 



Head purphsh pink ; back, scapulars, tail-coverts, and tvpo 

 centre tail-feathers umber-brown, shading into clear yellowish 

 brown on the inner wing-coverts ; remainder of the wing- 

 coverts smoky grey ; apical half of the three outer tail-feathers 

 white, remainder of the tail, except the two centre feathers, 

 slate-colour, broadly marked with black; feathers on the 

 sides and front of the neck black, with broad yellowish-brown 

 tips, forming a collar ; chest purplish pink, gradually shading 

 into white towards the vent ; eyelids, beak, legs, and irides 

 similar to those of T. auritus. 



Entire length 10" 5 inches ; cidnien 0'7 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 5'5 ; tarsus 0'9. 



Fig. Bree, B. of Eur. iii. p. 195. 



ram. PTEROCLIDiE. 



213. Pterocles ExusTus, Temm. Sinffed Sand-Grouse. 



This is the most abundant species of Sand-Grouse in the 

 country, ranging throughout Egypt and Nubia ; in the latter 

 locality it may be most plentifully met with on the uncul- 

 tivated tracts, where the coarse halfa-grass has been recently 

 cut, and on fallows. It usually keeps in small flocks, and is 

 a bird of strong flight, frequently uttering while on the wing 

 its loud peculiar note, which may be heard at a considerable 

 distance, especially in the early morning and towards sunset, 

 when they leave the more barren parts to slake their thu'st at 

 the river. The localities where I met with them most abun- 

 dantly were at the Fayoom, Golosaueh, Karnak, and between 



