58 



throat, a narrow band round the gape and lores, and a stripe 

 running back on each side of the forehead black ; middle of fore- 

 head and border to black on cheeks and chin whitish ; crown 

 vinaeeous buff, surrounded except in front by a band of ashy grey ; 

 around that, again, is a band of ochreous yellow expanding in front 

 and covering the cheeks and throat ; upper parts isabelline fawn ; 

 ends of the wing-coverts, scapulars, and some of the back-feathers 

 pale, forming buff spots with dusky borders ; a tinge of vinaeeous 

 on the scapulars and inner quills ; greater coverts, primaries, and 

 outer secondaries brown, the outer primaries with white shafts, 

 inner primaries with whitish tips ; middle tail-feathers isabelline 

 like rump, the others vinaceous buff with a subterrninal black bar 

 and white tip ; lower parts from throat pale buff, upper breast 

 tinged with grey. 



The female wants the markings on the head and is buff throughout 

 with crescentic black cross-bars ; lower parts paler, the throat 

 yellowish speckled with black. 



Tail-feathers 16. Colours of soft parts not recorded. 



Length about 11; tail 3-5; wing 7 '2; tarsus -9; bill from 

 gape -6. 



Distribution. N.E. Africa, Arabia, Southern Persia, Baluchistan, 

 and !Sind west of the Indus. This Sand-Grouse has also been 

 found in Afghanistan and on the western frontier of the Punjab 

 as far north as the Khyber Pass. 



Habits. Similar to those of Pteroclurus exustus and P. seneyallus. 

 This Sand-Grouse probably breeds in Sind,andthe eggs, measuring 

 1*5 by 1-06, were taken by Barnes in South Afghanistan about 

 May and June. 



Genus PTEROCLURUS, Bonap., 1854. 



This is, by many writers, united to Pterodes, from which it only 

 differs in having the two middle tail-feathers elongate and pro- 

 duced into a loug narrow point. 



There are always 16 tail-feathers. 



Of the four known species, ranging over Africa, S. Europe, 

 S.W. and Central Asia, three are found within Indian limits. 



Key to the Species. 



Abdomen white throughout in both sexes P. alchata, p. 58. 



Abdomen dark brown throughout in males, barred 



brown and rufous in females ; a black gorget. P. exustus, p. 60. 

 Middle of abdomen dark brown, sides buff in both 



sexes : no gorget P. seneyallus, p. 61. 



1320. Pteroclurus alchata. The Large Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse. 



Tetrao alchata, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 276 (1766). 



Pterocles alchata, Blyth, Cat. p. 249; Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 500; 

 Hume, S. F. i, p. 221 ; Bleivitt, S. F. iii, p. 268 ; Hume, S. F. vii, 

 p. 161 ; id. Cat. no. 801 ; Hume $ Marsh. Game B..\, p. 77, pi. ; 



