The Zoologist — September, 1866. 381 



conclude that the examples of this bird subsequently found had 

 arrived during the month included between these dates; during this 

 period at least two hundred and fifty, and probably three hundred, 

 were destroyed. This view of the direction taken during this ab- 

 normal migration is certainly supported by the evidence of Mr. Galke, 

 who, writing from Heligoland, says (Zool.8724), "This very beautiful 

 and interesting stranger was first observed and shot here on the 21st 

 of May, the weather being very fine with a moderate easterly breeze. 

 Each successive day up to the earlier part of June, it was seen here in 

 flocks from about three, five or fifteen, to fifty, and in one or two in- 

 stances even to a hundred. Out of these nearly thirty have been shot; 

 the earlier birds being, with two exceptions, all very fine male speci- 

 mens ; the later nearly all female birds ; every one of them in the most 

 perfect plumage. Alter a lapse of a fortnight, viz., on the 2'2nd of 

 June, six sand grouse again made their appearance ; out of these five 

 were shot, all female birds, whose plumage no longer had the fresh and 

 tidy appearance of the earlier instances ; so that all through this 

 abnormal and mysterious excursion of the species they still adhered 

 to the rules of birds on a regular spring migration ; that is, the males 

 forming the van, the finest old specimens come first, after which the 

 females make their appearance, the rear being invariably made up 

 by weak, badly developed or injured individuals of a shabby appear- 

 ance. I was so fortunate as to obtain two living specimens of this 

 sand grouse, a male an^ a female, both of which for a while went on 

 very well ; but yesterday, to my great regret, I discovered that the 

 female had died. The abdomen of this bird had the appearance as 

 if containing a developed egg, which on examination, however, proved 

 to be a solid accumulation of a gritty calcareous substance, of the size 

 of a large walnut. It would be very interesting if these birds were to 

 breed on the English moors. Although I have little doubt that, if at 

 convenient localities they are left undisturbed, such will be the 

 result, it also is my opinion that in the autumn the offspring, together 

 with the parent birds, will depart for their original fatherland, never to 

 return. But a future different result would perhaps be obtained if 

 such young birds were to be procured before fully fledged, kept well 

 during the winter, and set at liberty the following spring near such 

 localities as their parents had chosen for their nidification. If during 

 this season any young sand grouse are reared in England or on the 

 Continent, I am sure one or other of them will turn up on Heligo- 

 land." It thus seems quite certain that the arrival of these birds in 



