30 Lieut.-Col. J. W. Yerhmy— Further Notes 



76. TuRTUR sENEGALENsis (Linii.) ; Barnes, Ibis^ 1893, 

 p. ]65. 



Turtur, sp. inc., Yerbury, Ibis, 1886, p. 19. 

 This Dove is a common resident. 



77. Turtur risorius (Linn.) ; Barnes, Ibis, 1893, p. 165. 

 Tliis is another common resident, 



78. ffiNA CAPENsis (Linn.); Yerbury, Ibis, 1886, p. 19; 

 Barnes, Ibis, 1893, p. 166. 



These birds were in numbers in beautiful plumage during 

 the month of March, 1895, at Lahej. Inland this is a 

 common, generally distributed species. 



VI. PTEROCLETES. 



79. Pteuocles exustus (Linn.) ; Yerbury, Ibis, 1886, 

 p. 19; Barnes, Ibis, 1893, p. 166. 



These birds begin to come in numbers about 7.30 a.m., on 

 return from drinking, to the fields round Al Hautah, and 

 snaring them is a favourite amusement of the small Arab 

 boys, the modus operandi being as follows : — Eight or nine 

 hardened halls of clay (about 1 inch in diameter) are fastened 

 together; each ball is perforated by a horsehair, having a 

 noose at the end of it. A hole is scratched in one of the 

 fields visited by the birds and the balls buried in it, so tliat 

 the horsehair nooses are free ; each noose is then opened out, 

 laid on the ground, and baited with a few grains. 



At Haithalhim, while I was camped there, these birds came 

 in thousands to drink in the stream, particularly at the last 

 pool the water reached. Shooting Sand-Grouse, at the best 

 of times, can hardly be called sport, but to shoot them under 

 these conditions is nothing short of murder, and only justi- 

 fiable when done in moderation for the pot. Early in April 

 1895 a big pool of rain-water was formed near Siiaik 0th- 

 man, and the Sand-Grouse came in great numbers to drink 

 there. A hen, taken at hazard from a number shot (April 1, 

 1895), had an almost fully developed e^^ in her ovaries. 



