PTEROCLES INDICUS 256 



Hume gives the measurements as follows: "Length 10 to lO'S, 

 expanse 19'5 to 20'5, tail from vent 3'25 to 3'75, tarsus '88 to I'O, 

 bill from gape "55 to '6. Weight G'38 to 6'75 ozs." 



It will be seen, therefore, that Hume's measurements practically 

 agree with mine and show that, age for age, males are a trifle bigger 

 and heavier than females. 



Young Male. — The young bird acquires the plumage of the adult 

 first on the wings and upper plumage, but this is much broken up 

 with dark brown vermiculations ; the tips of the quills and sometimes 

 the inner portions of the inner webs are marked with pale-buff 

 vermiculations and the plumage of the upper back, hind-neck and 

 head is more like that of the female, but these parts also are every- 

 where profusely vermiculated. On the under surface the deep breast- 

 band is either obsolete or indefinite and much mixed with buff. 

 From the breast downwards the lower surface of the body is banded 

 black and white as in the adult bird, but the bars are narrower and 

 not so perfect. The white forehead seems to be one of the last parts 

 of the adult plumage to be acquired. 



At a still earlier age, the whole of the back is vermiculated buff 

 and black and the general colour varies through as wide a range of 

 tints as in the adult. On the under parts the breast and abdomen 

 are still more weakly barred than in the stage just described, and the 

 bars on the centre of the abdomen and about the vent often merge 

 into a blurred patch of black or dark-brown. 



" Young females resemble young males, but the under parts are 

 like those of the adult female." (Ogilvie-Grant.) 



The nestling is covered with a uniform earth-brown down, the 

 same colour as the soil on which the eggs are laid. 



Distribution. — The habitat of this beautiful Sand-Grouse is given 

 as follows by Blanford : — 



" Peculiar to India and resident. Found in suitable places 

 throughout the greater part of the Peninsula, but not on the 

 Malabar or Bombay coast, nor in the forest region north of the 

 Godaveri and east of Eaipur, Mandla, etc., nor in the low grounds of 

 the Carnatic. This Sand-Grouse is found throughout the Deccan and 

 the Central provinces and as far south as Mysore, and is common in 

 parts of Guzerat, Cutch, Eajputana, the North-west provinces and 

 amongst the Siwalik Hills of the North-west Punjab, but does not 

 occur west of the Indus, nor on the Gangetic alluvium." 



