Pl'EROCLES OHIKNTALIS 249 



certain of obtaining a satisfactory bag. Often in this manner a 

 couple of guns will obtain a very large bag of this and other Sand- 

 Grouse, and Hume records a bag of fifty-four couple of this species 

 alone, made by three guns in a couple of hours. 



The native fowlers and professional snarers also take advantage of 

 this habit of the Sand-Grouse and catch a very great number for the 

 market by means of nets and snares at the driuking-places. When 

 nets are used they are placed close to the drinking-place athwart the 

 favourite line of flight ; the nets are some six feet in height, and are 

 kept erect by sticks, which are so put up that the first impact from a 

 flock of birds knocks them over, and many of the flock are entangled 

 in the meshes and are easily caught. When nooses only are used, 

 these are placed in great numbers at the edge of the water, either 

 pegged down singly or attached in rows to one long string, which is 

 pegged down, or weighed down, at either end. 



They keep no regular formation either in flight or when basking 

 and feeding. The first thing in the morning many packs often 

 collect together and lie in the sun warming themselves, and at this 

 time appear to get on well enough until they break up into their 

 respective parties and make their way to water ; when, however, they 

 again meet, either at the water-side or on their own feeding-ground, 

 they are very quarrelsome, and a constant bickering fighting goes on 

 amongst the males, this often taking place even between members 

 of the same flock. 



Their flight is very swift and powerful, and the sound of their 

 wings makes a soft swish, which, when the birds pass very close, 

 rises almost to a whistle. In appearance their action is much like 

 that of a pigeon and they rise and fall in the air with equal ease 

 and grace, but the beats of their wings are never accompanied by 

 the clapping sound made by the wings of the pigeons meeting over- 

 head when those birds suddenly change their elevation or direction. 



Their note is described by some writers as a clucking sound 

 difhcult to write down in words ; other observers call it a soft double 

 chuck or chuckle which is uttered both when on the wing and when 

 on the ground, and when feeding and drinking. Indeed, even when 

 the birds are indulging in their mid-day rest, a few will be seen 

 constantly moving about and chuckling softly to themselves. 



