224 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



sect, though I have noted two cases in which I found, in one ants, in 

 the other small beetles amongst the seeds. H. M. G. B. I. I, 70- 

 Its food consists in great part of the seed of the common thistle. 

 Bomb. Gaz., Vol. XIX, 40. 



1322. P. senegallus. Spotted Sand-grouse. Their food is 

 mostly seeds, but I found a good many insects mixed with these in 

 the stomachs of those I examined, and they are I infer less purely 

 vegetarians than the large Sand-grouse. H. M. G. B. I. I, 54. 



1323. Syrrhaptes tibetanus.- Semi desert plains, feeding on 

 grass, and other seeds and berries, and any young green shoots it 

 can find. H. M. G. B. I. I, 44. 



The Pterooletes are by no means generally distributed through- 

 out India. They are more or less desert haunting species and are 

 migrants and feed on small weed seeds and can only be regarded 

 from a sporting point of view. Agriculturally they are of no im- 

 portance whatever. 



GALLING. 



Gallince. True Game birds, the Grouse, Fowls, Peacocks, 

 Turkeys, Partridges, Quails, Guinea-fowls, Megapodes. The Galli- 

 naceous birds form the most useful and most important members of 

 the whole class. They scrape in the ground to procure their food. 

 In all cases they seek their food on the ground and this consists of 

 grain, seeds, roots, buds and insects. Jerd. B. I. Ill, 488. They 

 afford more wholesome food to man than any other orders. Jerd. 

 B. I. Ill, 490. 



PHASIANID^E. 



1324. Pavo cristatus. Common Peafowl. In confinement they 

 will destroy snakes and other reptiles, and in their wild state feed 

 much on various insects and grubs, also on flower buds and young 

 shoots, as well as on grain. Jerd. B. I. Ill, 508. The peafowl is at 

 times omnivorous, and land shells, insects of all kinds, worms, small 

 lizards and even tiny frogs may be found in their crops, but by choice 

 I think they feed on grain and tender juicy shoots of grass and flower 

 buds, and I have scores of times examined their stomachs without 

 finding a trace of anything else, although, had they been so minded, 



