SAND PARTRIDGE 



Amtnoperdix heyi 



The colour of the upper plumage on body is so delicate 

 in quality that it is hard to say if it should be called a lilac 

 grey or pinky grey, whilst in certain lights it might be called 

 a sandy brown; the head is, with the cheeks, neck, and breast, 

 a pearly pink ; the flanks are barred with rich chestnut and 

 black on a warm white breast ; white on the ear coverts and 

 a white spot in front of the eye in the variety known as 

 Cholmondely ; legs yellow ; eyes brown ; beak a brilliant 

 orange. The hen bird is without the bright chestnut bars 

 on the flanks, and is altogether a paler-coloured greyish-buff, 

 and without white on the face. Total length, 9 inches. 



This is a resident Egyptian bird, and I include 

 it in my list because, though the traveller up 

 the Nile may not see it, any who go across 

 the desert around the Pyramid district, and even 

 those who journey only a little out of Assoan, 

 ought quite certainly to come across it. It is a 

 most charming, lively little bird, bustling about ; 

 you rarely see it quiet for long, even in January 

 it still keeps in coveys, and they go running along 

 in and out of the boulders, and, if on a hillside, 

 they are very quick and agile in hopping high up 

 on to the rocks above them. They very seldom 



99 



