96 TURTLE DOVE PALLAS' S SAND GROUSE. 



Food. Like the last two. 



Nest. March onwards. Two or three broods. 

 Site. On the floor or ledge of some gloomy cave. 

 Materials. A few sticks and straws. 



Eggs. Two. White and glossy, and rather smaller and 

 stouter than the King Dove's. 



TUETLE DOVE (Turtur communis). 



Migrant ; April to September. Local ; found principally in 

 the southern and western counties, and in Wales ; in Scotland 

 and Ireland rare. 



Haunts. Woods, plantations, &c. 



Plumage. Head and nape ash-colour, tinged with vinous ; 

 a patch of black feathers tipped with white on either side of 

 the neck. Neck and breast vinous red. Back ash-brown. 

 Scapulars and wings rusty red with dark centres. Primaries 

 dusky. Secondaries bluish ash; under parts white. Tail 

 tipped with white, conspicuous in flight. Bill brown. Legs 

 and feet red. Female, rather smaller and browner. Young, no 

 white on neck and brownish above. 



Language. A soft plaintive sound like " tur-turre." 



Habits. Much like the other Doves. 



Food. Much like the other Doves. 



Nest. May. Two broods. 



Site. In hawthorn or small tree, &c., never very high up. 



Materials. Slender twigs and small sticks. 



Eggs. Two. White suffused, with creamy. Much like 

 Stock Dove's, but smaller. 



OBDER PTEROCLETES. 



Family PTEROCLIDM. 



PALLAS'S SAND GROUSE (Syrrhaptes paradoxus). 



This species has visited our islands on several occasions, 

 sometimes in large numbers. It can only be regarded as a 

 rare straggler, as the previous irruptions have been very irregu- 

 lar. It is a curious bird, with a plumage closely assimilating 

 the sandy wastes it inhabits. The central tail-feathers are very 

 long, and the short legs are closely covered with buff feathers 

 extending to the toes. 



