CURSORUD^. 155 
of that month in two consecutive years. They fly very high 
when on passage, and attract notice chiefly from their cry. 
The latest date of the return migration observed was the 14th 
of October, when a young bird was procured. 
I failed to discover any nesting about the vega of the 
Laguna de la Janda, the marismas of the Guadalquivir being 
their chief resort. 
A friend of mine, who shot several on the autumnal passage, 
informed me that they were excellent eating ; but in this 
respect I can give no personal information. 
The sexes are alike in plumage ; and the species is distin- 
guished by its rufous axillaries. 
Family Cursoriid.*:. 
215. CuRsoRius GALLicus (Gm.) . The Cream-coloured 
Courser. 
Moorish. Gueta {Favier) ; but this name applies also to 
Pterocles alchata. 
"This Courser appears annually during July in some 
numbers on the plains of Sharf el Akab, not far from 
Tangier. Their stay there and their numbers vary according 
to the abundance or scarcity of insects, and also with the 
temperature; for unless the latter is favourable, they are 
rarely met with, and none were seen during the year 1854. 
They leave these plains in August or the first part of 
September. Early in summer they ought ' to be found 
nesting near Sharf el Akab, as in May 1847 a male was 
brought to me by a chasseur, who rescued it from a Falcon 
which had struck it down. 
" Their food is entirely insects or larvse, particularly Penta- 
toma torquata and difierent sorts of grasshoppers. They are 
met with" in small lots, usually frequenting dry arid plains, 
where they spread out in all directions, running about after 
insects, and are very wary and difficult to get a shot at. 
Their cry of alarm is much like that of the Plover. They 
rest and sleep in a sitting position, with their legs doubled 
up under them. Should they not fly away when approached, 
