378 Capt. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 



great numbers, and are kept by the Europeans there and fat- 

 tened for the table like Quails, being fed up for this purpose : 

 they thrive there admirably in coafinement. They are par- 

 ticularly heavy birds for their size, and strong in proportion. 

 In fact I should call this the most muscular bird for its size 

 that we have in India. 



800. Pterocles fasciatus. Painted Sand-Grouse. 

 Procured by me at Morar, near Gwalior, in December 1866. 

 The following dimensions are from specimens in the flesh : — 



Til 11 -pi'nm Tiill -Pvi-w^T 



Length. Wing. Tail. 



J 11-25 6-875 3^125 



? 10 6^625 2^375* 



c? 10-5 6^25 2^751 



5 10-5 6^5 2-875 



Bill dirty red, legs greenish-yellow in the male, dark green 

 in the female , orbit light greenish-yellow in both sexes ; the 

 tarsus is feathered down to the foot in front, but bare behind. 

 The dimensions of the first male somewhat exceed those given by 

 Dr. Jerdon. The late Dr. Scott received a pair killed within 

 twenty miles of Umballah from an ative shikarry, and, writing 

 under date August 2nd 1867, says : — " This is the first time 

 I have heard of this species occurring in the neighbourhood of 

 Umballah ; and, together with P. arenarius and P. ewustus, it 

 makes the third species of the genus found in that locality out 

 of only four which are known to inhabit India. '^ 



802. Pterocles exustus. Common Sand-Grouse. 



Not only this, but all Sand-Grouse in India are known com- 

 monly to sportsmen as " Rock-Pigeon." I found this species 

 abundant about Umballah and Morar, near Gwalior, in the cold 

 weather. The following are the dimensions of a male killed at 

 Umballah on 16th November, 1866: — Length 13; wing 6*5 ; 

 tail 3'875 ; tarsus 1 ; bill, from front -5, from gape "625 ; ex- 

 tent 21*75. This agrees fairly with Dr. Jerdon's measurements, 

 except in the tail, which he makes " 5^ to 6," surely an error. 



A specimen from Morar, 29th December, 1866, measured : — 

 Length 11*75; wing 6*25 ; tail 3'75 ; tarsus '9375; bill, from 

 * Slightly damaged. 



