PALLAS'S SAND GROUSE IN NORFOLK. 453 



contrast, the whole plumage was suffused with an indescribably 

 delicate bloom, which I fear is very evanescent. Mr. Pashley, of 

 Cley, mentions this beautiful bluish grey bloom on every part of 

 the plumage of his late-killed birds. 



It thus appears that the moulting commenced about 16th 

 June, and probably by 18th September most of the birds had 

 entirely assumed their new plumage. The process seems to have 

 been much as follows : — first a few new feathers appeared among 

 the scapulars and the wing coverts, also scattered over the upper 

 surface of the body ; then the secondaries, followed by the tail, 

 and the remaining quill-feathers, next the vent and tarsi, and 

 last of all the first primary in each wing. The length of the 

 two middle feathers of the tail, measured from their insertion, 

 varied very much, the longest I measured was 8 J in. ; but one, a 

 lovely male, received by Mr. Lowne on the 4th June, had these 

 feathers 8g- in. in length. 



Mr. Sandford Parsons, of Shernbourne Hall, who has had great 

 experience in the rearing of domestic pigeons, watched the moult 

 of the male bird which has been in his possession since the 26th 

 May ; and confirms my observations, based on the large series 

 which I have had the opportunity of examining, as to the order 

 of moulting, and particularly with regard to the flight feathers, 

 of which he says, the tenth pair were shed first, the others 

 following in gradual succession, always in pairs, and last of all the 

 first primaries. At no period was the moult sufficiently severe 

 to impede the flight. 



Call-Note. — The note of the Sand Grouse when on the 

 wing is so peculiar, that it could not fail to attract attention. 

 The first time I met with this bird in Norfolk, was when walking 

 along the cliffs at Mundesley, which are very lofty at that spot, 

 my attention was attracted by their strange note before the birds 

 came in sight over the brow of the cliff, and went away inland 

 still calling. At Morston we paid particular attention to the 

 note "with a view to reducing it to writing, and we had an excel- 

 lent opportunity of hearing it on more than one occasion. It 

 was distinctly audible at a distance which Mr. Howard and I 

 estimated to be 400 yards, and we all agreed that it closely 

 resembled the breeding-note of the Snipe, " Chuka, chuka;" but 

 it appeared to have a more monosyllabic (if I may be allowed 

 the expression) sound, and was uttered with a sort of whistling 



