PTEBOCLtlEUS SENEGALENSIS ERLANGERI 303 



hotter hours of the day. In the evening it often does not drink at 

 all, but during the hot weather thirst generally compels it to drink 

 again before its evening feeding-hour, and it will then be found at 

 water between 3'30 and 4'30 or a little later. It is not crepuscular 

 in its habits like Pterocles indicus and coronatns. 



Its food appears to be entirely vegetarian, and even as such 

 confined mainly to hard seeds and grain ; in two instances only did 

 Hume find insects in its stomach and I can find no other records 

 referring to this diet. They do sometimes resort to cultivated fields 

 for grain and seed, but for the greater part they keep to the un- 

 cultivated plains, and it is wonderful how they manage, not only 

 to obtain enough food to sustain their great vitality, but actually to 

 keep them plump and in the highest condition. 



They are not as a rule found in enormous flocks such as those of 

 Pteroclurus alcliatus and Pterocles orientalis, and flocks of over 100 are 

 exceptional, though some few of 200 or even more have been seen. 

 Generally the flocks number twenty or thirty to fifty and these come 

 down to water in independent packs, not collecting together for the 

 purpose. Arrived, they settle at once, unless alarmed, a short 

 distance from the water and there, like all sand-grouse, squat for a 

 few seconds or minutes before running down to the water's edge for 

 their drink. After this they remain a short time and walk about and 

 scatter a good deal, but do not seem to quarrel with one another as 

 do so many other sand-grouse, and then all fly off again to their 

 resting-place. 



Hume says that in the day-time when feeding they scatter widely 

 over the ground, but that during the night when sleeping they collect 

 in a very compact mass ; he also adds : — 



" And during the night they must keep better watch than during 

 the day, for often when crossing the huge Oosur plains in Etawah 

 after dark, at times after midnight, I have heard flocks of them rise 

 at considerable distance from me. Moreover, I have never found anjr 

 of their feathers about in the morning, as I have of so many ground 

 roosting birds, showing where a jackal or a fox has made a lucky hit. 

 If one remembers how abundant this species is ia many districts and 

 how superabundant in the same places are foxes, jackals and wild 

 cats, and also that the Sand-Grouse leaves a strong scent by which 

 a dog will nose out a wounded bird hidden amongst the clods of a 



