146 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



to Madagascar, where they inhabit forests. The 

 Kirombos (Leptosomatincs), two very nearly allied 

 species found in Madagascar and the Comoro 

 Islands, are long-winged and short-legged, like 

 ordinary Rollers, but have the feathering advancing 

 on the bill and the outer toe reversible. The male 

 is metallic bronze-green above and grey below, 

 the female brown and buff with black spots. 



SAND-GROUSE (Pteroclidce); 



DIAGNOSIS. Ground-birds of medium size with fowl-like 

 bills, long wings, and short feathered legs. 



SIZE. About that of a common pigeon or dove. 



FORM. Bill small, fowl-like ; feet with short feathered 

 shanks and three front toes and a small useless 

 hind-toe, the latter sometimes absent ; wings 

 pointed, long, or very long ; tail rounded or 

 pointed, rather short, but middle feathers often 

 long and pointed. Head small ; body plump and 

 squat, very flat-backed. 



PLUMAGE. Close, coloured mainly sandy, grey, and 

 black ; belly often all black. A seasonal change 

 in some cases ; usually a sexual difference. Young 

 like old female. 



YOUNG. Downy and active, feeding themselves ; 

 down speckled ; the male parents in species 

 bring them water by soaking their breast-feathers 

 and letting the chicks suck these. 



NEST. None ; the eggs being laid on the bare ground 

 in a hollow scratched out. 



EGGS. Usually three ; oval, spotted; 



INCUBATION. Twenty-four days ; the female sitting 

 by day, the male at night. 



FOOD. Seeds, herbage, and a few insects. They drink 

 regularly, in a long draught like pigeons. 



