256 Pallas' s Sand-Grouse. 



been from time to time observed, there has been 

 no further westward movement of large bodies of 

 these birds from their natural homes and breed- 

 ing-places, the Steppes of Central Asia. Early 

 in May reports reached this country that the 

 sand-grouse were again, after a lapse of twenty- 

 five years, appearing in large flocks in Central 

 Europe, and by the latter end of that month the 

 advanced guard had reached our shores, the 

 main body arriving shortly afterwards, and spread- 

 ing over the country, many hundreds having been 

 observed. 



The sand-grouse, possessing as it does affinities 

 not only with the grouse, but also with the plovers 

 and pigeons, is not a true grouse, but is placed 

 by ornithologists in a separate order " Ptero- 

 cletes." It is a quaint and noticeable bird, 

 whether seen on the wing or on the ground; in 

 weight between ten and eleven ounces ; in length 

 about fifteen inches. Its plumage may be roughly 

 described as buff, chestnut, and orange, streaked 

 and spotted with black ; the feathers of the tail 

 tipped with white, with the exception of the centre 

 pair, which are long and tapering, the ends, for 

 about three inches, being filamentous ; the wings 

 are also long and tapering. Its legs, like those 

 of the red grouse, are covered with feathers down 

 to the toes, of which, like the plovers but unlike 

 the grouse, it has but three. The feet are most 

 peculiar, as the toes are united by a membrane 

 as far as the claws, thus forming a little feather- 



