96 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 



large companies, in which order they fly great dis- 

 tances to and fro to whatever pools or water they 

 customarily visit each evening, and it is at these 

 places that the most deadly shooting can take 

 place, for they are very regular in their "flighting." 

 Captain Tindall Lucas tells me that the Coroneted 

 Sand-grouse drinks later in the evening and earlier 

 in the morning than the other forms and practically 

 when all light has gone ; the more usual time being 

 just before the sun sets. The freedom with which 

 they fly is extraordinary, it is more with the power 

 of the Swallow than any game-bird ; they mount 

 very high up into the air, and go wheeling round 

 and round, now mounting nearly out of sight, then 

 rushing headlong down in a long swooping curve 

 till near the earth, when, perhaps, they will turn 

 off sharp at some angle and go tearing away in 

 some opposite direction. This is when they are in 

 flocks, and out on the wide open desert ; when 

 coming down to water, or near cultivation, or 

 among the coarse Haifa grass, they fly with direct 

 intent, and waste no time about it. 



Their cry must be heard to be appreciated ; it 

 is usually written as " gutta, gutta, gutta," but no 

 description of birds' notes ever seems to be of much 

 value ; it is, however, so very individual that once 



