136 PERDICID^, 
dant about the edges of the marismas, where they nest late in 
May^ as also near Granada. Some may be migratory; but I 
have seen others in January near Seville. I never saw any 
in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar. 
The flight of both species of Sand-Grouse is very powerful; 
and sometimes they go to such a height that, although you 
can hear their croaking hoarse call, they are almost out of 
sight. Becoming excessively tame and familiar when kept in 
confinement, in a wild state they are very difficult to approach 
without a stalking-horse, and when obtained are of no use to 
eat. They are very difficult birds to skin, the feathers coming 
out like those of a Pigeon. 
Eggs of this Pintailed Sand-Grouse, taken near Seville, are 
of a reddish buff colour, marked all over with spots of reddish 
brown and light grey. 
Future visitants to Morocco should look out for Pterocles 
seneg alius, Linn., which most probably occurs in the southern 
part of the country. 
Order GALLING. 
Family Perdicid^. 
196. Caccabis petrosa, Gm. The Barbary Partridge. 
Moorish. Hedjel. 
" The Barbary Partridge,^' says Favier, " is resident around 
Tangier, and very common, sometimes perching on trees." 
This species is far more common in proportion in Morocco 
than C. rubra is in Spain, and chiefly frequents palmetto 
scrub ; in some localities it is so numerous that it would be 
quite easy for one gun to bag fifty brace in the day. The flesh 
of this Partridge is not so good even as that of the common 
Red-leg, which does not say much in its favour. They submit 
to captivity very weU, and may be kept alive in coops like 
fowls, to be used as required — and after being fed on corn for 
a month or so, improve greatly in a culinaiy point of view. 
As is well known to all ornithologists, the Barbary Par- 
tridge is the only species found on the Rock of Gibraltar, 
