1878.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE PTEROCLID.E. 255 



rocky hills. " It is generally met with in pairs, towards the end of 

 the rains in parties of eight or ten, and when flushed rises with a low 

 chuckling call, and after a short low flight drops again into cover. The 

 eggs, cylindrical in form, are a dull earthy green, with a few dusky 

 spots. It was procured in Kattiawar, Western India, by Capt. Lloyd, 

 in the Than district, where one evening a small party, coming to 

 drink after dusk, alighted in front of his tent. He thought they 

 were Goatsuckers ; and on firing at them was surprised to find he 

 had secured a specimen of this Sand-Grouse. In the vicinity of 

 Sambhur lake, Central India, Mr. Adams found this species common 

 about all the low ranges of hills. The nest was simply a hollow scraped 

 in the ground, with a number of small pieces of stone round the edge, 

 aud some loose grass for a lining. The number of eggs varied from 

 two to three ; in one instance, however, four were found. He gives 

 their colour as very different from that mentioned by Jerdon, viz. a 

 deep to pale salmon-colour when fresh ; but, on being blown, in a 

 few days this tint changes to a rich cream- colour, and the spots are 

 light lavender and rusty. They are of a blunt oval form, 1*4 inch in 

 length by 1 inch in breadth. 



Male. A conspicuous black band crosses the forehead, below which, 

 covering the nostrils and also over each eye, is a pure white spot. 

 Top of head and occiput buff, streaked with narrow black lines. 

 Sides of head, throat, neck, and upper part of breast uniform sandy 

 buff. Upper part of back similarly coloured, but darker. Across 

 the breast, extending from the shoulders of the wing, are, first, a 

 band of deep chestnut, widest in the centre, succeeded by a broader 

 one of light buff, beneath which is an irregular one of black. Rest 

 of underparts black, narrowly banded with white or buffy white. 

 Feathers of back and rump generally crossed by three black bars, 

 and tipped with sandy buff; and between the first and second black 

 bar from the tip is one of white. Shoulders uniform sandy buff. 

 Wing-coverts and outer secondaries crossed by several black and 

 white bars, forming two or three conspicuous bands across the wing, 

 the tips of all the feathers being fulvous. The inner secondaries 

 are buff, barred only with black, no white. Primaries brownish 

 black, edged on both webs with whitish. Tail and under tail- 

 coverts fulvous, barred with black. Bill red, orbital skin lemon-yel- 

 low ; hides dark brown. Feet yellowish. Total length 9g inches, 

 wing 7, tail 3^, bill at gape f. 



Female. Throat and cheeks pale buff. Head reddish buff, streaked 

 with black. Entire upper and under surface sandy buff, barred 

 irregularly with brown. Tips of wing-coverts pale buff. Primaries 

 and secondaries dark brown, edged on inner webs with white. Bill 

 red. Dimensions about the same as the male. 



11. PTEROCLES BICINCTUS. 



La Gelinotte des hides, Sonner. Voy. aux Indes Orient, et a la 

 Chine, vol. ii. pi. 96 (1/82). 



Pterocles bicinctus, Temm. Pig. et Gall. torn. Hi. pp. 247, 713 ; 

 Gray, Gen. B. vol. iii. p. 518. 



