PTEROCLIDA—SAND-GROUSE. 219 
Distribution: Found in South-western Europe, Northern 
Africa and Western Asia. 
Habitat: Open sandy or grassy plains. 
PIN-TAILED SAND-GROUSE. 
Pterocles alchata (Lzzz.). 
Adult Male: Above drvownish-grey, spotted on back and 
scapulars with dull golden-yellow ; primaries bluish-ash colour 
on outer webs, and greyish-brown on inner webs; first quill 
with outer web chiefly black ; wing-coverts all narrowly bordered 
with black ; rump and upper tail-coverts pale yellow, barred 
with black ; central rectrices elongated and tapering ; apical 
portion dark brown; remaining tail-feathers blackish-ash on 
inner webs ; barred with black on outer webs ; chin and upper 
throat black, shading into dull yellow on lower throat ; across 
chest a broad band of chestnut, bordered above and beneath 
by black; abdomen white ; bill brown ; feet greyish-brown ; 
irides dark brown. Length about 14 inches; culmen 0'65 ; 
wing 7°3; fail 5°3; tarsus 1°15. 
Adult Female: Above yellowish, closely barred with 
black and grey, most of back- and scapular-feathers with a 
broad sub-terminal ashy-blue band ; wings paler than in male ; 
coverts barred at their bases and tipped with black ; chin and 
upper throat white, bordered with reddish ; chest band less 
extended than in male, bordered above by two black bands. 
Young Male (Autumn): Though closely resembling the 
adult above, except for the absence of the elongated tail- 
feathers, the under parts are distinct; chin and upper throat 
white and black mixed; lower throat dirty ochreous, barred 
with pale brown ; chest chiefly dull ferruginous, but also mixed 
with a few blackish and ochreous feathers, the latter barred as 
on lower throat ; the black band below ill-defined. 
Young in first plumage: Probably resemble the adult 
female, but the tail-feathers are much shorter. 
Distribution: Inhabits Southern Europe and Northern 
Africa, ranging eastward as far as India. 
Habitat: Sandy plains like P. arenaria. 
