PTEKOCLES LICHTENSTEINI AUABICUS '111 



PTEROCLES LICHTENSTEINI ARABICUS. 

 THE ARABIAN CLOSE-BAEEED SAND-GEOUSE. 



Pterocles lichtensteini arabicus, Neiun. Oni. Monatsb. p. 152 (1909) 

 (Lahadj, S. Arabia) ; HnHert, Vocj. Pal. p. 1512 (1920). 



Pterocles lichtensteini, Trmm. PI. Col. vol. v, pis. 25, 26 (1825) ; Blyth, 

 J. A. S. B. xxiv, p. 30-1 ; Hume, S. F. i, p. 219 ; Wise, ihid. iv, 

 p. 230 ; Hime, ibid, vii, p. 162 ; id. Cat. No. 800 liis ; Hume .(■ 

 Marsh. Game-B. i, p. 66 ; Butler, Cat. B. of Bind, etc. p. 52 ; Tii/ncll, 

 S. F. ix, p. 202 ; Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 296 ; Neivnham, J. B. N. H. S. 

 iv, p. 53 ; Laurie, ibid. p. 94 ; Ogilvie-Gmnt, Gat. B. M. xxii, p. 29 ; 

 Gates, Game-B. i, p. 51 ; Ogilvie-Grant, Game-B. i, p. 20 ; Le Mess. 

 Game-B. p. 57 ; Blanford, Avifauna of India, iv, p. 57 ; Stuart Baker, 

 J. B. N. H. S. xxii, p. 653. 



Pteraclis lichtensteini, Sharpe, Hand-L. i, p. 51.' 



Vernacular Names. None recorded. 



Adult Male. — The forehead with three bars of black and white as 

 lafasciatus, but the front white bar runs up and back into the black, 

 and the black in the same way into the posterior white band, so that 

 the two front bands are more or less V-shaped, whilst the third band 

 is generally interrupted in the middle ; this is also produced back- 

 wards as a broad short supercilium, with a black eyebrow-patch in 

 the centre. The blackish band is also often extended from its 

 posterior base as a fine line under the eye and over the ear- 

 coverts. Rest of the head and neck isabelline-buff, each feather with 

 a black central mark, long and forming streaks above, but reduced to 

 spots below ; the chin and centre of the throat often immaculate in 

 old birds and, in colour here, a purer buff. Remainder of upper parts 

 very pale buff closely barred with wavy black lines, the upper tail- 

 coverts more boldly barred and ochreous-buff at the tips ; tail-feathers 

 barred buff and black, the bars broadening towards the ends, which 

 are again widely tipped a richer buff. Scapulars and inner secondaries 

 like the back, but more boldly barred and with ochreous-yellow tips ; 

 lesser coverts like the back ; secondary- and median coverts pale clear 

 buff, in some cases almost white, barred with black and tipped yellow ; 

 bastard- wing, primary-coverts and primaries brown, edged paler. 

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